Yu-Gi-Oh! Armageddon (PG13) - Finished

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

I was actually serious about all of them, except #3, #6, and #9.

 

Urusula and Yuma?

 

Not exactly what I had in mind...

 

(Stop it! *slaps self*)

 

[spoiler=Meh]

I like how Demon revived himself with Mysterious Puppeteer, and how his monsters, though knowing he'll destroy his world, still sort of care for him.

 

Really the EBI's? First I thought it would be the ORIGINAL Gods, but the Gekko description kinda gave it away. Otherwise a wierd ass desciption for Sliver. MEh, it could be worse. It could've also been the Numbers. XD

 

Oh yeah, I kinda forgot that Juruo killed Dominik and Carla's father. As said in the extra chapter. Huh, nice guilt trip for Juruo. I probebly shouldn't be enjoying this.

 

In total a nice chapter and very well written. I still liked it more if the Original Gods would apear at a moment, but seeing as the end isn't there yet, they might still apear.

 

 

 

He is going to destroy their world too don't forget. But I guess after being around soemone for however long and watching them suffer, they can't help feel some empathy for him. And it's nice that hideous fiend monsters like Jeroid and Newdoria can have feeling, I think.

 

There was no reason to choose the Earthbound Immortals other than they are recogniseable and motherf*cking scary. Sliver?

 

There no plans for the original gods to appear, as already used the more 'defined' Sacred Beasts (i.e. the ones that don't seem to gasin effect after effect after effect) but glad you otherwise enjoyed.

 

Wonder if more people will comment as we get to closer to the end...?

[Lexadin]

He is going to destroy their world too don't forget. But I guess after being around soemone for however long and watching them suffer, they can't help feel some empathy for him. And it's nice that hideous fiend monsters like Jeroid and Newdoria can have feeling, I think.

 

There was no reason to choose the Earthbound Immortals other than they are recogniseable and motherf*cking scary. Sliver?

 

There no plans for the original gods to appear, as already used the more 'defined' Sacred Beasts (i.e. the ones that don't seem to gasin effect after effect after effect) but glad you otherwise enjoyed.

 

Wonder if more people will comment as we get to closer to the end...?

 

I know, I kinda worded that wrong. Yeah, that is kinda nice (beats the point of them being demons though).

 

I wouldn't be that scared by the EBI's, Now if Obelisk would grab you and crush you, Ultra Mega Chi... I mean Ra slashing you open and Slifer (my bad) eating you alive. Now THAT's scary.

 

Oh, then I rather had the original Gods to apear in Demon's dreams.

 

Possibly, only the gods will know.

[Fusion X. Denver]

Nice chapter, I didn't even realize the time that had passed until Sabin tied his hair in a ponytail and mentioning his duel with Vardus was a few weeks ago, so nice subtle reminders.

And yeah, I'm anticipating some sort of conflict between Juruo and Dominik in the future, possibly. Should be good if it happens, or at least lead to drama.

And I liked the new Hikari, she sounds hot [/creeper]

 

Can't wait for the epic shizz coming up.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

I know, I kinda worded that wrong. Yeah, that is kinda nice (beats the point of them being demons though).

 

I wouldn't be that scared by the EBI's, Now if Obelisk would grab you and crush you, Ultra Mega Chi... I mean Ra slashing you open and Slifer (my bad) eating you alive. Now THAT's scary.

 

Oh, then I rather had the original Gods to apear in Demon's dreams.

 

Possibly, only the gods will know.

 

Yes that would be scary.

 

Still not using them though.

 

Nice chapter, I didn't even realize the time that had passed until Sabin tied his hair in a ponytail and mentioning his duel with Vardus was a few weeks ago, so nice subtle reminders.

And yeah, I'm anticipating some sort of conflict between Juruo and Dominik in the future, possibly. Should be good if it happens, or at least lead to drama.

And I liked the new Hikari, she sounds hot [/creeper]

 

Can't wait for the epic shizz coming up.

 

I had to go back and look as well, as far as I can work out / had to remind myself I think the time between the very first night of Hikari and Juruo meeting and the final day of the countdown is 28 days. Wow that's quite startling to think about actually. And Sabin's hair must grow even faster than mine.

 

So many possible matchups, so many potential duels.

 

Chapter 47 'Deathtrap' is up tomorrow. Cuz I'm going to start doing that now.

[Lexadin]

Yes that would be scary.

 

Still not using them though.

 

And deadly.

 

>: (

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Lex is determined. :lol:

 

End of week chapter, featuring a duel.

 

Note: For some reason some of the cards used in this duel have had their pages on Wiki wiped of all info, so some links are mssing. Hopefully this isn't a major problem.

 

[spoiler=Chapter 47]

Chapter 47 - Death Trap

 

“What. The. Hell...?”

 

Juruo and Hikari’s eyes widened in shocked horror. As soon as they - along with the Fabled Ragin - shot through the narrow gap in the doors, a thousand faces turned to look at them. A thousand blank, dead faces. Cracked skulls, with empty eye sockets and broken teeth. All the heads of these Skull Servants snapped towards the charging duel runner. As soon as they saw it, the army of shuffling undead zombies started to run haphazardly towards them. Arrows rained down all around from behind them. Fabled Ragin dive bombed from above, charging those directly in the runners path, sending skeletons diving everywhere. By this point, Sabin and Tyrana had sailed through the gap. As soon as Tyrana’s back wheel was free, the gates shuddered to a stop, and began to slide slowly closed again.

 

Sabin swore as the wall of undead came into his vision. Somewhere above him to his right, the dragon queen unleashed her purple flame, incinerating a wave of zombies. As the fire cleared, another wave stepped forward to replace them. Behind and to the left, Luca’s sea dragon sprayed another row of shuffling creatures with a jet stream of water with incredible force. The repelled servants flew everywhere, taking more behind out with them like bowling pins, but still the army kept coming from all sides like a plague, closing in on their prey.

 

“There are thousands of them!” shouted Hikari. Juruo swerved violently as a pair of zombies threw themselves in front of the runner, hoping to throw them off, sending him instead charging towards another wall of shuffling skeleton warriors. Now deeper into the mix, there were more than just these simple drones. Spirits of undead samurai in battle armour, hauling crude swords along the ground. Land based dragons with rotting purple flesh. Skeletal archers whose arrows were tipped with fire. Necromancers and skeletal sorcerers, surely capable of casting spells of death, waiting to tear through the flesh of these victims that had wandered into their midst.

 

‘Oh no you don’t. We’ve come too far to be stopped by your kind.’ Pulling back on the handlebars with all the strength he could muster, Juruo accelerated and pulled the runner up onto the back wheel, raising the front of the runner up to a height above anything the zombies had. The skull servants were at least intimidated by the towering size of the foe, and scattered. The more powerful zombies held firm. Desperate, Juruo let go with of the accelerator for a second, dropping back onto two wheels, to draw a card and summon it. Somewhere behind, the other two drives did the same.

 

“Alector, Sovereign of Birds!”

 

“Ally of Justice Light Gazer!”

 

“Jurrac Giganoto!”

 

The zombie army’s more battle hardened troops were clearly devoid of fear, or had lost all sense of it in death, to stand at the sight of the five powerful beasts sailing through the air. The one land based creature, Tyrana’s Jurrac, easily kept pace with the runners on its powerful muscular legs, before it passed them, charging at the zombies and unleashing its fiery breath, incinerating them. To the left of the convoy, Alector joined the Sea Dragon and shot its barrage of feathers at the charging platoon of sword wielding warriors. On the right, Fabled Ragin and Dragon Queen protected the group from the flaming arrows being fired at them, swatting the comparatively weak attack of the archers out of the air with powerful wing beats or a parry of the sword. High above, Sabin’s gigantic flying saucer like machine was causing the most havoc, firing lasers at everything that moved.

 

After a few of the longest minutes that anyone could have endured, the three runners broke through the final line of defence. Shooting past the final ranks, Juruo fully opened the throttle, and the runner responded, quickly getting away from the minions who were relentlessly giving chase. He noticed Sabin overtake him, with Yuma hanging onto him for dear life.

 

After half an hour’s ride to make sure that even the most persistent demons had given up the chase, Sabin rolled to a stop, the others pulling alongside and allowing their armed guard to fade away. Yuma’s chest was heaving, having stopped breathing in panic. Luca rolled back in his seat, looking exhausted like he’d run a marathon. Sabin however...

 

“Zombies! A whole freaking army of zombies! Did nobody think...! Did nobody back there think we might have liked to know...! That it might have helped slightly to know that we were driving straight into a horde of mindless flesh-eating undead!!!” Furious with this shoddy treatment, Sabin slammed a fist on the dash of his runner, which earned him a scold from the girl behind him.

 

“Don’t get so angry. We made it through alive, thanks to the spirits we all summoned together to fight with us. It is important we keep fighting together like that.”

 

“I’m sorry. I just would have liked to have known in advance... I don’t like zombies alright? They’re creepy.” Sabin, looking genuinely sorry for once, shuddered at some horror replaying in his mind. “What gets me though, they seemed a bit, I don’t know, organised? For mindless undead I mean. Just sitting out there waiting in rank like that, not fighting with each other? Just goes against everything I’d have ever thought about... them?”

 

“Now you mention it, it was strange. They weren’t even attempting to get into the city until they saw the gates open.” Luca sat up and looked at his puzzled-looking partner. “You’d think zombies, with no mind of their own, would be at the wall trying to climb it or something. Not just sitting there, waiting.”

 

“I hope none got through the gate” Yuma glanced back in the direction of the city sorrowfully, her eyes glazed over for a second. “The walls between this world and the spirit world are thinning. As the boundaries weaken, more and more spirits will surely pass through. Bigger creatures that could fly over the walls, or just tear them down for their allies. Maybe... those creatures were waiting for such help. The city could be in real danger.”

 

“Well, we’re out now, we can’t go back.” Everyone’s heads turned in amazement at the one who had said this. Usually it would be the blunt Sabin to make such a remark, but he was innocent this time. This time it was Hikari. She looked at the people staring at her and blinked, as though confused by the reaction.

 

“What? Look, we already know what we have to do to stop things from getting worse. Stop Demon and the countdown. Hopefully things will repair themselves after that, and the monsters will go away. That’s how we’re going to help the city. We can’t waste time going back and taking on that whole army. That would be a ludicrous thing to do.”

 

There was silence for a few seconds, before Juruo cleared his throat.

 

“Well, I wouldn’t have been as frank as that, but Hikari is right. If we stop the bomb powering the final countdown, the worlds will survive total collapse. Beyond that, we can only hope that over time the damage done already is repaired and normality can be restored. I know it’s heartless to leave the city behind, but if we stop the countdown before any heavy power comes through and joins that army, they should be able to muster their own defences.” The others exchanged looks, before nodding glumly. With this they set off again in the direction of their target, hoping what Juruo said was true.

 

...

 

Mid-afternoon. The repaired and updated runners ate up the miles. Passing over the plains, the party continued south, getting ever closer to the stronghold of their nemesis. Occasionally a swarm of red would appear on their radar, and they did as the engineer had instructed them to, changed course and steer clear. This meant staying out of woodland areas, and to their growing pain, villages. They were being ordered to avoid villages that were, by these indications, being invaded by creatures from another world. God only knew what could be happening in those places. On the bulky black and red runner, Yuma tapped Sabin on the shoulder, as he followed the drift of the other two runners cruising ahead, drifting to the right to avoid another small hamlet that was surrounded by the red cloud like indicator.

 

“Please. Please can we go straight for the village? The people there could be in trouble.” There was a long pause.

 

“I’m sorry Yuma, but we can’t risk it.”

 

“But we have the power to save people there. Watching that screen as the unknown hovers over that village is killing me.”

 

“The unknown is what makes it too dangerous. Not all the duel spirits coming through to this world are dangerous, you know that from the ones that talk to you. The villagers might be ok. On the other hand, we could ride in there and find another platoon of zombies waiting for us, or much worse. If those sorts of creatures are what are in that village...” Sabin took another long pause. He knew the radio waves were open and the others could hear him. “Those people will already be dead.”

 

Yuma wiped away a tear. “Please don’t talk like that. They could be alive, and could need our help. Sabin, don’t be so heartless.”

 

“You think this isn’t driving me nuts!?” Sabin turned in his seat, so that Yuma could look him in the face, and she blinked in astonishment. He was crying. “Yuma, we are signers, because we have been chosen as the last desperate hope for all of our survival. We are the only people who can stop Demon. If we fail, if we get taken out by some monsters because we went charging blindly in to a village in the hope of saving a few, we doom all to oblivion. Every person here, every duel spirit in the other world. We have to keep ourselves alive and get to Demon, and stop him from unleashing Armageddon in full, else everyone is screwed. We have to go on.”

 

Piece said, Sabin and Yuma continued to look at each for a few moments in silence. Juruo said something over the radio, but he wasn’t heard. Awkwardness dawning on him, Sabin turned back to face the open road, face red. The gobsmacked Yuma blinked a few times, before she sat forward and rested her head on his shoulder, mulling everything over.

 

...

 

Not much later, and the group came across a gorge in the plain. Another enforced diversion had bought them to this natural phenomenon. A pit in the middle of the plain that had been here for thousands of years, it had long been forgotten how this chasm came into being. About five miles across and stretching endlessly in either direction, there was no way around. The only way was over, using one of the natural bridges that crossed the expanse. These rocky roads were mainly thick, wide and straight, and by no means dangerous to cross as long as you weren’t careless. The party drove along until they found a suitable one, and looked across.

 

“Radar seems clear” Tyrana observed the screen, that indeed showed no traces of monsters.

 

“Weird, you’d think this would make an ideal home, especially for some of J’s dragons” Sabin observed. “Well can’t complain, it’s a long drop and I don’t want to be attacked by some flying lizard when I’m half way across. We’ll take it at a steady speed though, just in case.”

 

Tyrana nodded and took point, rolling out over the bridge across the abyss. Sabin and Yuma followed, before Juruo and Hikari formed the tail. Riding in single file at a steady speed the convoy started to cross the expanse. From the back of the runner, Hikari looked around. The sheer faces of the cliff were quite frightening, as they continued down further than she could see. No plants or creatures could possibly live here. The radar on the duel runner indicated nothing was present. But this place was undoubtedly creepy. The stillness, the silence.

 

Silence that was broken by a roar.

 

Juruo’s head jerked round. The roar hadn’t come from below, it had come from behind. And it wasn’t the roar of a beast, or indeed of a dragon. It was a mechanical roar, the roar of an engine, thundering towards them, getting closer at frightening speed. It was a roar that he had heard before. “I know that sound” he said to Hikari, alarmed disbelief apparent in his voice, turning as she did to face the sight he expected, but dreaded all the same. The sight of the powerful black and bronze runner that had just hit the start of the bridge, being ridden by the demented, long haired man with an arm of pistons and metalwork, the red light on his chest flashing as his heart raced with the thrill of the chase.

 

“Guess who losers!” Gear’s voice screamed over the intercom.

 

“Everyone, go!” Juruo yelled. Ahead, Tyrana slammed on the accelerator and was gone, hurtling for the end of the bridge that was still three miles away. Shifting up through the gears, Sabin chased after her, whilst Juruo accelerated as quickly as possible too. But Gear’s runner was much faster, and much more powerful. In almost no time, he was on their tail, weaving left and right as Juruo tried to block him. He couldn’t hold him off as he accelerated, and he was alongside. The duo looked across at the dank, unkempt appearance of the mechanical maniac who had fought Juruo before, and taken his sacred beast card. He was wearing the same demented grin as before.

 

“You won’t survive the fall this time, Daisuke junior!” he screamed in delight, before veering towards them, slamming into the side of the runner. Juruo yelled as the body of the runner smashed against his leg, making him lose concentration. Hikari screamed, as the runner lurched sideways a few feet, towards the edge of the path. Gear used the space to veer outwards, before charging back in.

 

Desperately, Juruo planted his foot flat to the floor. The runner lurched forward, just enough for Gear to miss and he could centre up again. Gear took this opportunity to come up on the right hand side, and continue his assault from there, still with a mile and a half in which to force the two into the gorge.

 

“Hang on! We’re coming.”

 

Juruo looked up to see Sabin slow down and drop back, pulling over to the left so that Juruo could pull up alongside, with Gear on the right. The road was wide enough to ride three abreast, just a few feet of space either side. Juruo looked left to the concentration on Sabin’s and Yuma’s faces, then back right to Gear, who was snarling in frustration.

 

“Graah... Fine! I’ll take all four of you at once!”

 

The large runner shunted left, as the other two pushed right. Somewhere ahead, Luca and Tyrana had cleared the bridge and veered to a stop, staring wide eyed at what has happening. Juruo grimaced as he was caught between the two runners; a vein was pulsing in Gear’s temple as he struggled to make any ground. If anything he was losing it, and getting closer to the edge. The end of the bridge was getting closer, and at once every driver noticed the end of the bridge was getting narrower.

 

At the last second, it was Gear who pulled out. The other two runners flew off the bridge onto the open plain, quickly followed by their pursuer. He stopped and spun round to face the reassembled group, staring at them, eyes narrowed with hatred.

 

“You held back from pushing me over. Why?”

 

“We’re not sinking to your level” Juruo replied, Sabin nodded in agreement.

 

Gear broke into a chuckle. “Big mistake. One I’m going to make you pay for.” With a grin, Gear’s hand drifted over to a button on the dash. As for what he was going for would never be known, as when he went to push one of them, there was a crackling from the screen of his cpu, as someone from base opened up a transmission. The group watched as Gear paled, eyes widening, before a voice came out over his radio, a voice that did not belong to Demon.

 

This voice was gruff and harsh, cold and menacing. There was a collective shiver as it addressed the minion. “Gear. You have located the signers, but I will not stand for you taking them out with cheap tricks. Your orders are to find them and defeat them... properly.”

 

“But... but I don’t understand. What’s the problem with driving them off a cliff, sir?” Gear stuttered, eyes focused entirely on the screen.

 

“You fool. I already informed you of the events of the palace last night, and of the power of the servants of the Crimson Dragon. The creatures of the duel spirit world are scared... and desperate. They will do anything to ensure their survival, protecting their envoys at any cost. You cannot hope to dispose of them with your crude measures, for their dragons will emerge to save them in times of dire peril. These seemingly generous acts of selflessness are merely a means to their own preservation; they protect their signers so they will try to stop us from reaching Utopia, thus saving their own necks. However, if you duel them; whilst their dragons remain sealed in their decks they won’t have that halo of protection surrounding them. And you remember the results of our tests on the effects of duelling nowadays, don’t you Gear?”

 

“You want me to duel them all? For serious? I’m six against one here” Gear protested desperately.

 

“If you feel you do not have the skill Gear...”

 

“I have the damn skill. But there’s only so much one guy can do however talented!!!” Gear’s rant was cut off by an eerie, spine tingling growl, a deep threatening noise coming from the one he was speaking to. Luca leaned forward to Tyrana, who was curiously watching Gear quail at what he was seeing on his screen, and whispered in her ear.

 

“Hey, doesn’t that sound like how Nero was speaking right before he went over the roof?” Tyrana nodded, she thought this as well.

 

“Fine Gear” said the voice. “I will send you some assistance, so you can tag duel against the signers. Don’t be shocked when you see your partner. I think you’ll like him, and his deck. He should support you excellently. I do not expect you to fail.” Gear scowled and nodded, and the transmission cut out.

 

The scruffy, thin young man turned his attention back to the waiting group. “It’ll be a few moments before my partner gets here. So who’s up for some two on two? I expect you’ll want your rematch with me Juruo, and I’ll be more than happy to crush you first, in front of all those who believe in you, like you’re some kind of hero.”

 

Face set, Juruo removed his duel shield from its slot in the duel runner and armed it, before dismounting his runner. On his left, Sabin did the same thing.

 

“This guy’s obviously got some loose wires in his brain. You’re cool with me tagging up with you, right?”

 

“I’d be honoured Sab.”

 

Gear sneered as he pressed a button on the dash of his runner. In front of him, a small hole opened. To the group’s amazement, the young man rammed his mechanical arm into the hole, sending a surge of electricity all the way up to the metal in his shoulder. Judging from his expression, this process was quite painful. Slowly, Gear retracted his arm, and with it he pulled a transparent light blue shield; a high tech cybernetic model in which you could see all the working part inside the shield. The blade folded down and wrapped its metal clamps around the arm, several wires joining up between the two mechanical constructs. Process finished, Gear dismounted his runner and stepped forward, waiting for the fourth duelist. A minute passed...

 

To Gear’s right, directly facing Juruo, there was a cloud of purple smoke that appeared suddenly from nowhere. A dark silhouette stepped through, and immediately the smoke cleared, revealing Gear’s partner. There were six audible gasps as the group instantly recognised him. The short frame. The spiked blue hair. The red T-shirt and baggy green shorts, that had been added to by a dark purple cloak that fell over the young boys shoulders and trailed to the floor. The blue eyes that were now pupil-less.

 

Melanc.

 

Instantly, Gear burst into laughter, clapping his hands together. “Oh yes. This does suit me quite nicely. What you going to now? You want to stop me, then you’ll have to defeat your friend to do so.”

 

Juruo’s knuckles cracked without him realising. “The hell we will! Mel, can you hear me? What happened to you?”

 

Mel stared emptily back at him, his empty eyes burrowing deep into Juruo. He brandished an oversized duel shield; a different model from the one that depicted some of his toon monsters on the face, and spoke slowly to his opponent. “You broke my sister’s heart. I’ll make you pay.” Juruo tried to speak, but Mel wasn’t talking anymore. Instead he activated his shield, and drew five cards, as Gear did the same.

 

“Let’s duel!”

 

“I’ve got the green light to go first” Gear said with wild glee, adding his sixth card. “I think I’ll start with Karakuri Bushi Muzanichiha in attack mode.” From the portal in front of Gear somersaulted one of the wooden puppets that Juruo had such difficulty with last time, the swordsman wearing the wicker hat, his mechanical parts exposed by the gaps in his bodywork (ATK: 1800)

 

“Careful Sab” Juruo warned his scowling partner. “These things are tricky. Whenever you attack one, it will change to defence, so inflicting damage will be difficult.” Sabin nodded to accept the hint.

 

“Not difficult, impossible” Gear retorted. “As for the position changes, I’m happy to oblige myself. I use the spell Karakuri Cash Cache. By changing Muzanichiha into defence mode, I can add a level four or lower Karakuri to my hand.” Gear revealed a monster Juruo had seen before, the tuner Karakuri Strategist Nishipachi, whilst the mechanical swordsman crouched before them (DEF: 600). “Then I’ll place two cards face down and end my turn.”

 

“I’ll go first for us” Sabin forcefully drew his sixth card, and an excellent draw at that. “I summon the tuner monster Ally of Justice Cyclone Creator.” The metallic red and black hawk flew through its black opening into the world, hovering beside Sabin on the fans it used to power its flight (ATK: 1400). Sabin brandished two more cards. “Next I use the spell Magnet Circle Lv2, to special summon the machine type monster Oilman straight from my hand. Then I tune Cyclone Creator with Oilman to Synchro summon Ally of Justice Catastor!”

 

The Oilman leapt forth into the air, arms out in front of it, as the mechanical hawk flew over head, glowing red before vanishing, and Oilman split into two stars. Purple light engulfed the two monsters, and from the darkness emerged the mechanical monstrosity, its curved silver body supported by the four pincer like legs, gold faceplate staring down with its laser eye at the ready. The banisher of all that did not follow the darkness, Catastor (ATK: 2200) “I’ll place one card face down and end it there.”

 

Melanc drew in silence, staring emptily across at his opponents. It seemed to take a long time for him to decide on his move. “Firstly, I’ll play the spell card Hand Destruction. In a tag duel, this forces every player to discard two cards from their hand, and then add two more from their deck.” Once everyone had followed suit, Mel stared at his new cards. “I summon Exiled Force.”

 

A civilian turned warrior kitted in cobbled together armour and carrying a spear stepped through the black portal beside Mel (ATK: 1000). Gear watched with interest as his partner raised his hand. “Now I activate the effect of Exiled Force. By releasing him, one monster you control is destroyed, regardless of the difference in their strength. Of course I choose Catastor.”

 

Sabin blinked in shock as the spear carrier charged and drove his weapon into his machine, forcing them to both disappear. Unblinking, unsmiling, Mel revealed the backs of three more cards. “I place three cards face down and end my turn.”

 

‘Oh man, five face down cards. One wrong move could trigger any of them, and that could be fatal’ Juruo thought to himself, glancing over his cards for a way to navigate the potential minefield ahead. Thankfully, Hand Destruction had been favourable to him in terms of discards. He could use the cards in his graveyard in combination with those in his hand. “I summon Cyberdark Horn in attack.”

 

A grey creature of steel slithered through the air. It long slender body was covered in spikes, and many more produced from its two thin wings and from its face, the steel jaws open and waiting to chomp through the enemy. Juruo pulled a card from his graveyard. “When summoned, Cyberdark Horn equips himself with a dragon in my graveyard, and its strength increases by an amount equal to the equipped monsters attack. I choose Dragunity Aklys.” The slim red dragon materialised below the metal dragon, who wrapped its spikes around it in response, merging them (ATK: 1800). “Also, my monster can now inflict piercing damage to your monsters that are in defence. Which puts your puppets on the back foot, doesn’t it Gear? Go Cyberdark Horn.”

 

The machine reared and charged, but not unsurprisingly, the attack would be prevented. What was surprising was that Gear made no attempt to activate anything; it was Mel’s card that turned upright.

 

“I activate the trap Scrap-Iron Scarecrow.” From the upright card, a metal scarecrow sailed forth in the dragon’s path. The Cyberdark wrapped its spikes around it, but was repelled, shirking back to Juruo’s side of the field. But the trap was destroyed. To the boy’s amazement, the scrap scarecrow sank back into its card, and returned to its starting position. “Scrap-Iron Scarecrow repels one attack, and then I get to reset it on the field. So I can do it every turn.”

 

Sabin swore. “Hey, what’s wrong with you? We’re your friends, why are you protecting him?”

 

Mel stared blankly at him, whilst beside him Gear burst into laughter. “Not any more. He’s my friend now. And with these moves, I’m getting more attached to him every minute.”

 

Scowling, Sabin turned to his partner. “What do you think? You reckon if we knock the stuffing out of him, he’ll wake up and see sense.”

 

“Possibly. But if we attack him, he’ll take real damage.” This was of course the dilemma the one who had sent Mel to partner Gear had intended for them. Sighing, Juruo looked back over his hand. He could buy some time to figure out a plan, but there may be no alternative. As much as he hated it, he may have to hurt his friends yet again. “I place two cards face down and end my turn.”

 

[spoiler=Summary - End Turn 4]

Gear & Mel - Front Row: Muzanichiha. Back Row: SI Scarecrow, Face Down x4. Hands: 3 & 1 LP: 4000

Juruo & Sabin - Front Row: Cyberdark Horn. Back Row: Aklys, Face Down x3. Hands: 2 & 3 LP: 4000

 

 

 

“Time end this.” Juruo gasped as Gear confidently declared his intentions, without even looking at his new card. “First I’ll summon Karakuri Ninja Kuick in attack mode.”

 

This new model was tall and thin, was wearing a purple ninja suit that covered its torso and, for no purpose whatsoever other than appearance, a long black wig on its head. The puppet carried a dagger in each hand as it landed with grace (ATK: 1700). Both Gear’s human and mechanical fists clenched, the man shook slightly. “Now I enter the Battle Phase. My ninja is going to attack that rusty snake over there, but first off I’ll have to play the spell Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy the monster equipped to it, and take away its power.”

 

“Your mistake.” As the bolt from above struck and decimated the helpless Aklys, Juruo happily placed the card in his graveyard, where it would activate. “Whenever Aklys is sent to the graveyard when it’s been serving as an equip card, he takes one of your cards to the graveyard with him. So your ninja won’t be around to do much attacking.”

 

“That’s what you think.” Every duelist watching the action looked at Mel with looks of dread, as he activated another face down, another scrap card. “I activate Scrap-Iron Barricade. This lets me select one monster and safeguard it from being destroyed by effects until the end phase. Then I can reset my barricade to use again next turn.” A steel cage of used and discarded parts rose up around the ninja as the spear like dragon charged, harmlessly colliding with the metal lattice before it sank back into the earth.

 

“Ha, this kid’s alright at this. With him taking away all your options, I can’t lose, and you two will be cast onto the scrap heap like I was. Except when I’m through with you, you’re bodies will be broken beyond all repair! Now go Kuick, destroy his monster.” The ninja leapt forward with alarming agility, twin daggers bared. Without hesitation, Juruo flipped his trap.

 

“I activate the trap card Negate Attack. Don’t tell me you’re surprised to see this Gear. Now your attack gets cancelled.”

 

Gear smirked at him. “Of course I was expecting that. That’s why I kept Muzanichiha in defence mode, so I can activate Karakuri Cash Shed. This cancels the activation and effect of your trap, leaving me free to continue the assault.”

 

Undeterred, the ninja’s short dagger sliced through the body of the mechanical dragon. As it slowly carved its path through the monsters, Juruo could feel the sting of the blade cut through his own flesh, slowly being forced through the resisting tissue relentlessly, until the monster finally disappeared, and the slicing pain stopped, leaving his chest aching (LP: 3100).

 

“Now the effect of Kuick activates. When he destroys a monster in battle, I can summon any level four or lower Karakuri from my graveyard in defence mode. I summon Karakuri Strategist Nishipachi.” The wooden man garbed in green cloak and black beret rose through the ground, Juruo’s heart began to sink as it emerged (DEF: 1600). Brown eyes dancing with wild glee, Gear broke into hysteric cackling. “Now Nishipachi’s effect activates, changing Muzanichiha into attack position. Then for my other trap card, Urgent Tuning. I tune my strategist with the level four Kuick, to Synchro summon a monster you know all too well about Juruo. Karakuri Shogun Burei!”

 

Juruo did recognise it, and that made it all the more alarming. Sabin and the others who hadn’t seen the shogun before stared up at the oncoming menace in fear. The great living suit of armour, sharp horns producing from his helmet, cloak torn and ragged with battle, bronze armour grand and unblemished as he expertly commanded his puppets without fear of damage (ATK: 2600). The shogun brandished the paddle like weapon in its hand and its effect activated, summoning another Karakuri from Gear’s deck. Beside the shogun emerged a new monster, a one eyed machine in a dark cloak and beige scarf, carrying a trident, a level four monster with a hefty attack (ATK: 2100). Behind the two combatants, Yuma started to pray to her spirits, whilst the others watched on with increased horror. Their allies had no monsters left on the field, and were faced with six and a half thousand’s worth of attack, the effects of which would be catastrophic. Once again the air was filled with the demented, victorious laughter of Gear as he stood behind his three mechanical, and one human, puppets of destruction.

 

 

 

PS: sorry if there's any editorial mistakes. I'm sleepy and grumpy cuz my body is being screwed up. Need to go back to bed. Cheer me up with comments pretty please.

[Fusion X. Denver]

Me commenting first, that's a first. [/lolpun]

Speaking of puns, Gear was throwing some down, wasn't he? I don't remember that part of his character, but then again, it was a while ago.

Even though puns and I have a love/hate relationship, they worked here, so that's good.

Liked the chapter too, the bridge scene with Gear was reminiscent of his duel with Juruo, which was one of my favorites, so that was cool. Mel being used as a puppet was predictable, but his appearance still caught me off guard.

Hopefully he snaps out of it, looking forward to the end of the duel.

[Vector Nightmare]

Pretty... unexpected. The part up until the duel was excellent, I really loved everything in there. The duel was so-and-so. I didn't expect Juruo and Sabin to be thrown into the action so fast, but it made for a dynamic start. Melanc appearing was the most unexpected thing to me - I never would've guessed he'd be tossed in this early, though I was sure he'd be 'turned'. It ended up quite good, with him using protection cards for Gear's sake. Also, I was slightly confused - normally, under tag team rules, no player can attack until every player has had a turn, but you had Juruo, who was going fourth, attack. Was that intentional, or an oversight?

 

Great chapter, I like seeing things that I haven't considered yet. Keep it up!

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Me commenting first, that's a first. [/lolpun]

Speaking of puns, Gear was throwing some down, wasn't he? I don't remember that part of his character, but then again, it was a while ago.

Even though puns and I have a love/hate relationship, they worked here, so that's good.

Liked the chapter too, the bridge scene with Gear was reminiscent of his duel with Juruo, which was one of my favorites, so that was cool. Mel being used as a puppet was predictable, but his appearance still caught me off guard.

Hopefully he snaps out of it, looking forward to the end of the duel.

 

The puns weren't all that intentional (it's Raesir who really throws them around, Gear not so much) but if they work they work.

 

Pretty... unexpected. The part up until the duel was excellent, I really loved everything in there. The duel was so-and-so. I didn't expect Juruo and Sabin to be thrown into the action so fast, but it made for a dynamic start. Melanc appearing was the most unexpected thing to me - I never would've guessed he'd be tossed in this early, though I was sure he'd be 'turned'. It ended up quite good, with him using protection cards for Gear's sake. Also, I was slightly confused - normally, under tag team rules, no player can attack until every player has had a turn, but you had Juruo, who was going fourth, attack. Was that intentional, or an oversight?

 

Great chapter, I like seeing things that I haven't considered yet. Keep it up!

 

When I wrote this I checked YGO Wikia, but due to the rare occurences of tag duels in tournaments, the rules don't seem that concrete. Indeed the rules seem to change on a duelly basis in the anime (watched ZEXAL this morning where Yuma and Shark tag duel together, they have seperate LP counts and Shark, who went fourth, didn't attack first turn). However, from Wikia:

 

Players on the same team sit next to each other, player A sits to the right of player B. Team 1 is players 1A & 1B and Team 2 is players 2A & 2B. The turn order starts with player A of the team that is chosen to go first and then alternates between teams. The first player who can make an attack is the player who goes fourth.

 

Seems fairer this way, last to act first to attack.

 

Technicalities aside glad you enjoyed. Was actually expecting a comment on the zombie army thing similar to 'very late for another new plot thread' but it is only a small thread, with a conclusion I think people here could well enjoy...

 

Obviously there are still cards yet to be played, but I'm really satisfied with how Mel's deck shaped up. There is another theme to it besides protection but it probably won't be really apparent until more cards are seen.

 

Chapter 48 - Twisted Metal will be up Monday.

[Vector Nightmare]

I didn't view the zombie army as a new plot thread, rather a natural part of the story's progression. It did feel a little cliche, but was good for keeping up the pace. What I did find highly convenient was that hordes of them materialized out of the city and swarmed to it, but none came into being inside the city.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Oh... good point actually. Hadn't even thought about that. Ermm.....

[Lexadin]

1st of all. Yay for the classic Zombies!

 

The chapter was quite nice. I quite liked how Melanc is basicly a supportive duelist. Using the Scrap-Metal cards probebly.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Right it's 3AM Monday morning and I'm awake, such is my haywire body clock. So here's Chapter 48.

 

Oh yeah at this point I should mention the whole damage thing, because 0 LP isn't going to automatically mean death while duelling here. There are meant to be variable factors, such as the strength of the duel shield, the duelists mental and physical strength, if the attack was direct or not, the emotions of the duelists whose monster is attacking could pausibly have an effect, etc. Keeps you guessing.

 

[spoiler=Chapter 48]

Chapter 48 - Twisted Metal

 

“Muzanichiha, attack!” Gear commanded his mechanical swordsman to lead the assault against the unprotected duo, the first and weakest of the three machines that he had waiting to tear mercilessly through the flesh of Sabin and the child of that wretched man who had maimed him. Juruo had already felt the effects of one attack on his monster for a mere nine hundred damage and it had been agonizing; the effect of a direct attack in the circumstances...

 

“I activate my face down card Fires of Doomsday” Sabin interrupted. The two familiar black flare spirits rose from the card ahead of him (DEF: 0), one immediately cut down by the blade of the swordsman.

 

Gear twitched irritably. “Fine, ‘Karakuri Muso Haipa’ destroy the second Doomsday token.” The trident carrier effortlessly dispatched of the second token, a stab of its weapon causing it to disappear in a cloud of smoke. “This time you’re definitely open for Shogun Burei. Since it was his move last, my direct attack is aimed at Daisuke junior. You’re going to need more than pistons and wiring to survive this.”

 

Obeying its master without question, the great suit of armour rose and swung its weapon at Juruo, who raised his shield to meet it. Although the nerve and pain suppressors in the updated shield were about all that kept Juruo’s mind from overloading with agony and blacking out, in the moment of contact the shield felt like little more than a child’s plastic replica. Juruo roared in pain as the weapon slammed into his side, striking with enough force to lift him sideways and throw him several feet to his right, thankfully away from the gorge behind him. Every bone down one side of his body felt crushed by the weight of the impact. His heart was ballooning in his chest, mind numb from all the messages it was receiving from every body part screaming in torture. Still stubbornly, almost automatically, he stood up again, wobbling slightly from the sudden loss of strength in his legs, ungainly but unbeaten (LP: 500)

 

“You cockroaches just won’t die will you?” Gear smirked. Clearly he was enjoying himself, almost happy to see Juruo get back up just so he could inflict more damage. “But I doubt you can take a second one of those. Now at the end of the Battle Phase Haipa has to be changed into defence mode, but I can use my Shoguns effect to put it straight back into attack again anyway. I place one card face down and end my turn.” The mechanical wrist began to spin slowly, the fingers flexing as Gear had put a firm stranglehold on this duel. Beside him, the cloaked figure of the party’s friend and now opposing duelist Melanc watched on, expression blank.

 

“Can you keep fighting over there?” Sabin asked his partner.

 

“I’m going to anyway” came the response, through heavy breathing.

 

“You better. It’s my turn, and I’m activating the spell card Mind Control. I’ll be taking that oversized tin can for the rest of the turn now thank you. Then I summon the tuner monster Attack Gainer.”

 

The small warrior in the purple and black battle suit leapt through the opening between realities, summoned in battle for the first time since he had appeared before Sabin in the forest of the capital, and had hung around with him ever since as a companion on his late night vigils and private moments. The great suit of armour was also dragged onto Sabin’s field. The machine put up no resistance against the spell like most monsters would against a control spell, just a heartless puppet for someone else to pull the strings off. Somewhere behind the action, the other four signers watched with varied expressions, as the Shogun transformed into stars and fire consumed it, as it was tuned with Attack Gainer. Sabin broke into a confident smirk as a roar echoed across the worlds.

 

“I Synchro summon Red Dragon Archfiend!”

 

The enormous black skinned, fire breathing dragon soared through the portal on its heavy, leathery wings, the air pulsing around it as it’s aura emitted its overwhelming strength, jaws open, wicked claws ready to tear through flesh and metal, eyes blazing like the fire burning deep in its soul, its...

 

“Activate the trap Scrap-Iron Pitfall."

 

For a minute or so, everyone stared open mouthed and numb as Mel opened his third face down. Just as the archfiend made to land, a mechanical booby trap opened underneath it and swallowed the unsuspecting dragon whole, returning it to the extra deck as if un-summoned, leaving the field wide open again. Sabin pulled both hands through his hair, face white with shock, as the trap reset itself.

 

“Alright....... Alright.............. Mel wake the hell up!!” The boys head turned unblinking towards the irate teenager who was shouting at him. “Come on, what are you supporting and protecting this lunatic for? We’re your friends over here; we’re supposed to be protecting the world together, or at least that’s what I thought. Get a grip of yourself man!”

 

There was a long pause as Mel stared blankly at Sabin, and then to the hunched over, battered looking Juruo who was looking back at him. Gear was staring sternly at him as well, awaiting his move. The stare down continued for a few seconds, before Mel spoke slowly, and soullessly.

 

“I must protect my sister’s ambitions, and punish those who hurt her” came the final, robotic reply.

 

Sabin opened his mouth to berate Erin and the kid’s stupidity. He was however cut short by Juruo.

 

“Cool it alright. Don’t say anything to make him upset or threatened. Just keep trying to reason with him and convince him we’re his true friends.” Sabin scowled, and nodded reluctantly.

 

“Friends? What kind of friends have you been to this guy?” Gear interrupted, cool smirk back in place knowing his partner hadn’t lost his resolve. “The little guy who idolized you all so much, especially you Juruo. But you abused and belittled him at every turn, and you stabbed his sister through the heart. And you think you’re the good guys?”

 

“Better than her stabbing us in the back” Sabin retorted, temper flaring up again. “Dunno what you’ve done to brainwash Mel against us, but we all respect the little guy. Sure he might be a blind optimist and keeps wandering into trouble, but he’s got more guts and spirit than you and your mob put together.”

 

“Brainwash?” Gear raised an eyebrow. “Mel has simply opening his eyes to a new possibility of a better life, one where he can be free from the loneliness of being orphaned, where he can be free to do as he wishes without shackles.”

 

“It’s you and Demon’s fault he was orphaned in the first place” Juruo lost his own temper. “Mel, I’m sorry you’re caught in the middle of me and Erin, but we’ll sort it out when we can ok. It’s complicated at the moment but that’s no excuse for either of us to mess you around. But what I need you to do is look at us and remember what we’ve been through together, how we’ve fought together, against everything that is now controlling you. Just open your eyes and see who your real friends are.”

 

Mel stared blankly at Juruo for a few seconds, before turning back to Sabin. “Are you done yet?”

 

“Of talking, for now. With wiping your head clean of the crap filling it, maybe next turn. Until then I place one card face down.”

 

‘If I even get a next turn’.

 

[spoiler=Summary - End Turn 6]

Gear & Mel - Front Row: Haipa, Muzanichiha. Back Row: SI Scarecrow, SI Barricade, SI Pitfall, Face Down. Hands: 1 each LP: 4000

Juruo & Sabin - Front Row: -. Back Row: Face Down x2. Hands: 0 & 3 LP: 500

 

 

 

“Then I draw, and activate the trap card Call of the Haunted, to bring back Karakuri Shogun Burei to the field.” Across from the dismayed party Gear’s smirk broadened as his partner seamlessly realised what he had played last turn, the giant suit or armour rising from the dead, a bit scratched and dented from its spell in the dead zone, but just as strong as before (ATK: 2600). “Now I have it attack Sabin directly.” Sabin went for his duel shield to protect himself, desperate not to receive the same as he had seen Juruo suffer a few minutes ago.

 

“I activate the trap card Windstorm of Etaqua.” Juruo beat him to it, eyes fixed on Mel as he played his trap. “This switches all your monsters into defence mode, protecting my team mate and friend from harm.” The small hurricane that blew over him was a refreshing lift, as Juruo watched each monster kneel down and defend itself.

 

“Impressive move mate.”

 

“Wasn’t that good.”

 

“No, I mean the timing” Juruo blinked as he saw Sabin smiling at him, which as far as he could think of was a first. “You could have used Windstorm to protect your own back last turn, but you kept hold of it in order to protect me and keep us in this duel. That took some guts. Not a lot of brains, but guts. Thanks.”

 

“Well, at least we’re still fighting. You see Mel” Juruo continued to keep his focus entirely on the small child staring blankly at his failed attack. “We keep fighting together for what we believe is right, no matter what the odds. I can understand you wanting to protect your big sister and this Utopia stuff might seem fantastic to you, but when that countdown is completed a lot of people are going to die and I know the real you doesn’t want that to happen.”

 

“I equip Shogun Burei with the spell Junk Barrage.” Words fallen on deaf ears, Mel continued the relentless pace. “When Shogun destroys a monster while equipped with this, you take damage equal to the destroyed monsters attack. Then I’ll summon Second Booster and end my turn.” A small blue and white aircraft sailed above Mel’s head (DEF: 500)

 

Determined that Mel could still be swayed back, Juruo drew his card. The situation was getting worse every turn, attacks, destruction by effect, and now all special summons were being shut down once per turn. Not even the mighty Stardust Dragon would help, not against Scrap-Iron Pitfall. This card would have to be perfect. Drawing in a wide arc with his eyes closed, Juruo looked over it for a few seconds. It had been a long time since he’d used this one, but to get it out would require some manoeuvring.

 

“It’s my turn, and I’m activating the effect of the Totem Dragon in my graveyard, special summoning him to my field by his own effect.” Through the little portal came the small long necked dragon, flapping its tiny wings at a frantic pace. “And you know what I can do with Totem Dragon, don’t you Mel?”

 

“Yeah, you can release it on its own to summon a high level dragon. But you’re not going to because I use Scrap-Iron Pitfall to send it back to your hand.”

 

“Actually, since I revived Totem Dragon with its own effect, he gets removed from play once he leaves the field again” Juruo corrected him with a smile. “Anyway, I summon Dragunity Dux in attack mode, and use his effect to equip him with the Dragunity Aklys in the graveyard.” The proud winged warrior sailed into the battle on the back of the slime red dragon in silver armour. “Now, by removing from play a monster equipped with a Dragunity card, I can special summon Dragunity Arms Leyvaten.”

 

As two monsters disappeared, one more powerful being descended from the skies above. The great orange dragon with angel like wings floated slowly down, humongous sword bared, screeching its high pitched battle cry as it surveyed the scene. Below it, Sabin couldn’t help but applaud.

 

“That’s very clever. Maybe you’re not just the fluke artist I dismiss you as.”

 

“Thanks... I think. Anyway, since Aklys was sent to the graveyard from my spell and trap zone, he takes down one card on your field with him. I may not be able to destroy Shogun Burei directly, but I can still take out Call of the Haunted. Then Aklys gets re-equipped to Leyvaten straight after.” The spear tipped dragon charged the revealed trap card, shattering it as he tore through the illusory image. Without its support, the bronze suit of armour clasped wildly at air as it fell sideways, dropping its paddle as it clutched at its throat. With a crash, it disappeared.

 

“So what?” Gear dismissed the set back. “With Second Booster on the field, I can release it next turn to bump up either of my Karakuri’s attacks to above your monsters. And with Scrap Iron Scarecrow in play, you can’t stop me.”

 

“No point in not trying though. Leyvaten, attack Second Booster.”

 

He wasn’t expecting it to work, as the great dragon dive-bombed the field, sword drawn back to strike. There was no reason it should work, as it got closer and closer to the little aircraft monster above Mel. But for some reason, it was allowed to work. Mel did not activate the trap as expected, and with a swing of the curved blade, the machine was eliminated.

 

“Hey! Rocks for brains! What happened there?” Having been so confident and cool moments ago, Gear was now incensed, literally hopping up and down with rage. “Scarecrow, hello! I oughta... huh?”

 

Gear’s rant was cut short as dark purple light enveloped Mel’s duel shield. Juruo looked across to Sabin, who seemed as worried and confused as he was, then back to Mel, who was trembling slightly, as he reached to one of the slots on his duel shield.

 

“When a monster I control is destroyed by battle, and there are no cards in my hand, I can summon one monster from my graveyard to take its place. One that will avenge its fallen, as I will avenge my sister’s honour. The tuner monster, Infernity Avenger.” The creature that appeared was of the undead, a tiny gunslinger in tattered cowboy hat and garb, pistols twirling between its bony fingers, red eyes sparkling from the skull like face (ATK: 0). “When Avenger is summoned in this way, it’s level becomes equal to the destroyed monsters, in this case level three.”

 

“Infernity Avenger?” Luca repeated, looking baffled. “Is it just me, or is that a bit out of step with everything else he’s played?”

 

“I don’t know” Tyrana answered. “This deck looks pretty much designed solely for tag duel support. A tuner with a revival effect could fit but...”

 

“Either way, we’ve seen this before” Hikari glared at the little gun wielding monster. “Before we met any of you guys, we encountered some duelists who fought against us, and their duel shields did that same purple glow thing. We didn’t see any monsters like that, but once me and Juruo had beaten them and took their shields off, they returned to normal. Maybe the same will apply to Mel.”

 

Back in the duel, Juruo remembered the same thing. He glanced back at the two remaining cards in his hand. Two monsters, there was nothing more he could do but hope on his next draw. If this even got that far. Reluctantly, he announced the end of his turn.

 

[spoiler=Summary - End Turn 8]

Gear & Mel - Front Row: Haipa, Muzanichiha. Back Row: SI Scarecrow, SI Barricade, SI Pitfall. Hands: 1 & 0 LP: 4000

Juruo & Sabin - Front Row: Leyvaten. Back Row: Aklys, Face Down. Hands: 0 & 2 LP: 500

 

 

 

Smugly, Gear began his turn with his draw. Enemy Controller. Combined with the Needle Soldier in his hand, and the tuner monster he had just been provided with, it should all have ended there. All he had to do was summon the monster and proceed to summon his strongest Synchro monster. He could use its effect to take care of the face down, and then use the first effect of Enemy Controller to switch Dragunity Arms Leyvaten into the much weaker defence position. Needle Soldier will have passed on the ability to inflict piercing damage to his Synchro monster, and potentially troublesome face down out of the way, it would all be over.

 

However, that would be winning by piercing damage, and to Gear that simply was not good enough. As the last in the proud duelling lineage of the Roberts’ family and the rising star of turbo duelling, Gear was not someone who would see trundling over the finishing line as a victory. He had to go blazing over the line full speed and that meant by completely destroying and humiliating opponents. And how he wanted to destroy the only remaining trace of existence of that damned Tatsan Daisuke, who he had been duelling for the championship when he inexplicably crashed at high speed. He couldn’t understand how he had crashed; his controls had felt unresponsive in the seconds beforehand but the data showed no signs of a malfunction. Therefore it must have been something Daisuke had done. The result was near death, before he was reawakened with this cold half body. A body he despised; incapable of feeling, making him look like a freak, forcing him to carry on living pointlessly. No, he was going to make Juruo suffer for his father’s crimes, and he would suffer by the sword of his own dragon, and be killed by the overwhelming force of a second direct attack sending his life points to zero.

 

“I activate the second effect of Enemy Controller” he said as he pushed his card into the high tech shield arm. “By releasing Haipa, I can take a page out of your book, and take control of your precious dragon until the end of the turn. So you can feel its burn just like I did!” With a scream the dragon was forced over to the other side of the field, made to turn, face, and bare sword at its former duelist. “Say goodbye to your friends and your precious world Juruo, because your life is about to end. With a direct attack from your own monster!” Juruo’s eyes widened in horror as, unable to stop itself, the dragon swooped down, poised to strike. The girls behind him screamed.

 

“I activate the trap card Red Screen. With this in play, your monsters can’t attack.” As Sabin activated his card, giant red tinted crystals erupted from the earth in front of the two boys, rising high into the air. The Dragunity came to a sudden stop with a flap of its wings, before floating back. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Juruo could sense relief coming from it.

 

Blinking in surprise to be repelled yet again, Gear started to look very pale. To the watching parties’ puzzlement, he glanced to his bike several times, mechanical fingers twitching. A nerve in his temple pulsed, and he struggled to regain speech as he gulped slightly. “... No matter... I’ll finish you off soon, then that little mistake will be irrelevant. I summon Needle Soldier. Then I tune it with Infernity Avenger and Muzanichiha, to Synchro summon what will be the beast of your demise, Scrap Dragon!”

 

The new mechanical nightmare rose with a shrieking roar. Constructed from spare parts and odd bits, the dragon was several different shades of gray where the metal sheets that made up its wings and body fitted awkwardly together. Steam emitted from several pipes producing from its underbelly as it took flight, soaring over the field. One of the most powerful Synchro monsters in the entire game (ATK: 2800)

 

“It’s my turn” Sabin announced, for the first time fear making his voice shake, knowing he would be the one lined up for a direct attack. “I place one card face down and end my turn, at which time Red Screen demands that I pay one thousand life points to keep it active. We haven’t got that much so...” The shattering card finished his sentence for him.

 

[spoiler=Summary - End Turn 10]

Gear & Mel - Front Row: Scrap Dragon. Back Row: SI Scarecrow, SI Barricade, SI Pitfall. Hands: 0 LP: 4000

Juruo & Sabin - Front Row: Leyvaten. Back Row: Aklys, Face Down. Hands: 0 & 2 LP: 500

 

 

 

“Mel, please wake up” Yuma pleaded from behind the two duelists. “You’re still in there and you can hear me. Open your eyes and expunge the darkness controlling you.” Mel blinked a few times, staring at the girl he had only seen briefly before. Gear turned to his partner, incensed.

 

“Don’t listen to her, listen to me. You can finish them now, and get payback for your sister and prove yourself as the superior duelist. You can ensure a better life for the two of you right now.”

 

“You stay out of this” Juruo interrupted. “Mel, look at me. Try to push out the darkness for a second and think of what we’ve been through together. All the times we had in the resistance, then travelling across the empire together. Think of all the times you kept our morale up. Of when you stood up to Seishin for us and held your own against him. Because you fought for everyone you’d seen hurt, not for yourself. Now we’re doing the same, and we need the real you to come back and help us. Please.” There was a long pause, as Mel swayed on the spot.

 

“I... activate Scrap Dragon’s effect, destroying... Scrap Iron Pitfall and your face down.” In front of Sabin, the trap card exploded under a torrent of hot steam from the dragon’s mouth, revealing Roll Out!, a desperate decoy that had just managed to be successful. “Now, destroy that dragon”.

 

Sabin knew he’d feel something, but even a mere two hundred point loss was enough to sting when the attack was coming from something like Scrap Dragon. As the hot steam engulfed the weaker Leyvaten and passed over him, his skin began to burn and redden, his brain started to slowly fry from the heat. When the attack stopped, he was panting, sweaty and sore (LP: 300).

 

“With Leyvaten gone, Aklys is sent to the graveyard, and his ability activates, destroying Scrap Iron Barricade” he replied, perhaps clinging onto the hope that with it gone, Juruo could bring the spear dragon back again to destroy Scrap Dragon.

 

“I... end my turn... by summoning Zero Gardna in attack.” A small toy like robot, blue in colour with wings and a fan strapped to its back floated onto the field, a huge stone ring many times its size dangling from a chain around its neck (ATK: 0)

 

“It’s over” Tyrana dropped her head. She wasn’t a defeatist kind of person, certainly not when she had fought the overwhelming forces of the Empire with only Luca beside her. But her duelling knowledge told her that this duel was locked down. “It doesn’t matter what he draws, this is irreversible now.”

 

Hikari turned from her seating position, positively glaring at the red haired punk. “This is Juruo who’s duelling. I’ve seen him make some amazing comebacks before. He’ll do it again, just watch.” Hidden by her swooping fringe, Tyrana blinked at the girls reaction, although hoping she was right.

 

‘There is one card I can draw that will get me in a position to defeat Scrap Dragon’ Juruo thought, staring at his deck. ‘I just have to hope I draw it, and that it works’. Hoping against hope, Juruo placed the tips of his fingers to the top card, took a deep breath, and drew...

 

‘Yes.’

 

“First I summon Cyberdark Keel in attack mode.” A long snake like creature with tendrils unravelling from its grey armour slid through the portal. “As with its brethren, I can equip him with a dragon from my graveyard. That means you know who, Aklys. Then I play the spell card, Cyberdark Impact! By returning Keel from my field, Horn from my graveyard, and ‘Edge’ from my hand to the deck, I can fusion summon the Cyberdark Dragon!”

 

The merged form of the three Cyberdark monsters that disappeared into the swirling vortex overhead, the almighty dragon pulled itself through the gap. The grey head part made up by Horn, the wings now green in colour from Edge, and Keel now transformed into a long bluish tail. Combined as one the machines made the dragon a formidable size that matched the opposing Scrap Dragon, although the attack was comparatively unimpressive (ATK: 1000).

 

“Cyberdark Dragon’s effect activates. When he’s summoned he can equip himself with a dragon from my graveyard, and unlike the regular Cyberdarks that are limited to level three or lower, he can choose any, like Leyvaten for example, and then gain its attack.” The spectral image of the great dragon appeared briefly, prompting a harsh scraping roar from the machine (ATK: 3600). “Not only that, but he also gains another one hundred more points for each of the monsters in our graveyard, of which there are currently five.” Another set of spectres, mostly of Sabin’s monsters, prompted another roar and another power up (ATK: 4100)

 

“Also, since Aklys got sent to the graveyard - again - his effect activates - again.” Sabin chipped in.

 

“That’s right, so there goes the last of your trap cards, Scrap Iron Scarecrow.” Juruo locked eyes with Gear who was glowering back at him furiously, as the scrap metal decoy was taken out by Aklys. “Now Cyberdark Dragon is free to take down that monstrous creation.”

 

“Nah ah ah... now you’ve made a fatal mistake” Gear smiled lazily at his dumbstruck foe. “By releasing Zero Gardna during your turn, our monsters can’t be destroyed battle.” Juruo blinked in horror, he hadn’t known that. He’d got it horribly wrong.

 

“But for that to work, you need me to release Zero Gardna.”

 

Everyone’s heads slowly turned to Mel, who was looking down. His shield had stopped glowing for a moment, and when he lifted his head, his eyes had turned back to normal. “Juruo, please, I can’t hold it out for very long. Attack Zero Gardna. Don’t look at me like that” he gulped as Juruo shook his head at him, wiping his eyes with his arm. “Please, I need you to end this for me now. I don’t want to fight, I don’t believe in the things Erin and the others do, but he... he is forcing me somehow. I need you to free me. Please, just end this duel right now.” With that, Mel hung his head, waiting for the inevitable.

 

“I... I can’t... the damage will be too great...” Juruo gasped as someone clasped his hand. Hikari was standing beside him, looking pale but resolute, and nodding to him.

 

“It’s what he wants. It’ll be okay.”

 

She couldn’t possibly believe that. In panic, Juruo looked from her to Sabin, who was looking lost. There was a pained sound that bought his focus back to Mel. The boy was clutching his head, fighting against invisible enemies that were invading his mind, trying to regain control of him. But still, this was madness, he couldn’t. Not until Mel looked at him again and stared into his eyes, begging to be saved from himself. Resigned to defeat by this impossible situation, Juruo hung his head in shame, and hollowly called to his dragon.

 

“Cyberdark Dragon, attack Zero Gardna.”

 

With a rusty screech, the metal dragon opened its jaws to reveal the laser cannon within, firing down on the helpless creature carrying the stone tablet. The gardna was obliterated on contact, exploding in the face of its duelist who was thrown far through the air by the blast. Mel landed in a crumpled heap on his back, eyes closed, blood trickling from his head and mouth (LP: 0)

 

Ignoring his fading dragon, Juruo raced over to the fallen boy, closely followed by the others. He was still, and he was not breathing...

 

...

 

In a dark castle in the mountain side, in the room that served as Demon’s chamber in the heart of the fortress, and that led to the cave containing the archway, a figure was sat in the high backed chair made from bones, his chin resting on the back of his hands, his staff propped against the arm of the chair. With Demon out at the moment, the old sorcerer had been left to monitor things here at the heart of the operation, keeping in contact with their allies who were currently across the Empire. Against a wall to his right was the computer and communication system through which he had managed to talk to Gear before he faced the signers, having been shown how to use it by his absent son. The sorcerer looked down as in his lap, as a card appeared in it. Slowly he picked it up and noticed it was Infernity Avenger, before hiding it away into the folds of his robes.

 

This meant that his new pawn had already fallen, although how he did not know. Perhaps Gear, who therefore must also have been defeated by the signers, would be able to reveal more upon his return. The sorcerer sighed to himself. Gear’s explanation had better be good.

 

 

 

So, we see the real connection between Mel's cards yet?

 

Stay tuned for Chapter 49 - The Sorcerer Revealed...

[Lexadin]

Zero, Junk, Infernity (that relies on having 0 cards in your hand). I'd say the connection is something like emptyness.

 

Anyway, the chapter was ok. Didn't expect Melanc die/get very wounded though.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Zero, Junk, Infernity (that relies on having 0 cards in your hand). I'd say the connection is something like emptyness.

 

Anyway, the chapter was ok. Didn't expect Melanc die/get very wounded though.

 

Deep thinking provides good answer. Not the correct one though because it was too deep.

 

Also, 5,000 views for this fic *pops champagne*

 

A feat made all the more remarkable as it appears that there are only five people reding this, they just must be very addicted. :lol:

[Fusion X. Denver]

Good stuff with Mel. Didn't expect you doing the opposite of what any other YGO series would have done, pulling some BS move to save the hostage and defeat the bad guy.

And Gear's totally screwed now, I think. He was kinda reliant on Mel's support the whole time.

And hubris leading to his downfall?

It would have been funny if Mel activated a trigger trap from an attack and redirected it to Gear.

"Et tu, Melanc?"

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Good stuff with Mel. Didn't expect you doing the opposite of what any other YGO series would have done, pulling some BS move to save the hostage and defeat the bad guy.

And Gear's totally screwed now, I think. He was kinda reliant on Mel's support the whole time.

And hubris leading to his downfall?

It would have been funny if Mel activated a trigger trap from an attack and redirected it to Gear.

"Et tu, Melanc?"

 

Good can't always triumph.

 

Gear could get royally screwed next chapter... but again leading back to the damage thing, he was going out to seriously injure/kill Juruo, and he would have stood a better chance of that with 2600 points of direct attack than 1600 points of piercing damage. Plus the poetic 'being killed by his own dragon' thing being rather tempting.

 

Had to look up the quote, but nice. Not quite apt as Gear and Mel aren't exactly life long friends, but I do like it.

[Umbra]

I half-expected Erin to be the one appearing in the last scene, watching her brother mercilessly slaughtered by the boy she loves. But that's just me, I guess.

 

Having just read through the third arc, I have to say that I like where the story is going. The parallels between the first half and the second half are noticeable, but the differences - the Heroes actually winning the duel at the palace being the most notable - build up to a very interesting finale. The battle at Glamisery (Macbeth reference?) will surely be interesting.

 

On a different note, the Signer Dragons felt sort of... what's the word? Shoehorned in. Thrown in as some sort of plot device. There are so many different cards out there that could have served the same purpose, and the Signer Dragons have such a distinct 5D's feel that it draws from your own story.

 

While irrelevant to the main plot - at least right now - I absolutely love the idea of an undead army ravaging the countryside around the capital. The same thought that Saber voiced came to mind, though; why aren't they summoned inside the city? Did Demon - or The Sorcerer - perhaps foresee this event, and chose to shield the city for some reason? Only time will tell.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

[spoiler=Response to Umbra]Oh wow, thanks Umbra, really happy with that comment.

 

Glamis Castle is rumoured to be the most haunted castle in Britian (can't think if it was in Macbeth) and 'misery'... obvious.

 

The zombie army think will come into light Friday, but... it has nothing to do with Demon and... the man whose name is about to be revealed...

 

Thanks again though.

 

 

MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT

 

I have filed the paperwork for, and am awaiting confirmation of, moving into my own flat.

 

If successful, this move will take place on Saturday the 16th of July.

 

Obviously, said flat will not have Internet access until I get it up and running. If it can be afforded.

 

Now for the astute among you, you would have realised that means I move the day after Chapter 56 is posted. That chapter is not the worst place to leave it, for I've almost finished writing that chapter, but maybe people would prefer I get to chapter 60 before I go. To do this, I'm proposing double chapter releases every Friday (and another one somewhere else) so that this gets to the arcs natural end when I go - five or six chapters short of the absolute end, and then the temporary exile will fall at the same time that I would have had a break to write the end anyway.

 

Note I won't be releasing both chapters at once though, I'd want someone to comment in between to get the second chapter up. Like when we were catching up after the YCM downtime.

 

I only have four and a little chapters to write, all the duels of which are planned for so that is no problem, and that gives me about 12 days or so to write them. So what do people think I should do, any alternatives or anything? Or should I just run as normal and end of 56, and have a shorter break than normal between 60-61 once I return? (Congratulations may also be in order if you like :) )

 

Anyyyyyyyyyyyyyyway... time for chapter 49. I think this is the second to last chapter that does not involve any card games being duked out, but there is some major scene juxtaposition switching focus over several characters and some other bombshells, including the identity of mr big boss....

 

[spoiler=Chapter 49]

Chapter 49 - The Sorcerer Revealed

 

“Mel! No!”

 

Desperately Juruo tried to shake the boy into awakening. The limp, pale body of the ten year old, so full of vigour and life usually, lying limp in his arms with his eyes closed. This couldn’t be happening, this wasn’t real. The others were all stood around, grave looks on every face as he continued to try to wake the boy with desperate pleas for life.

 

“Let me in. Juruo! Let me by.”

 

Two pairs of arms wrapped themselves around Juruo’s shoulders. As Sabin and Luca pulled him upright, Tyrana knelt down beside the young boy, pinched his nose, and began to breathe into him. Half a minute passed and no response, leading Tyrana into trying chest compressions, before going back to mouth to mouth. Unable to watch, Juruo turned away, and caught sight of Gear - who had been forgotten about by everyone who was more immediately concerned with Mel. He was stealthily creeping back on to his duel runner, and trying to start it as quietly as possible. The tears forming in the eyes faded instantly, as grief and guilt was suddenly replaced by blind rage. Pushing past Luca, all sense of control lost, Juruo charged at him, he was just as responsible for creating this damn impossible situation. Gear reacted just in time, catching Juruo’s swinging arm with his mechanical one, before the two boys clashed heads.

 

“You... are going... to pay... for this” Juruo growled through gritted teeth.

 

“I severely doubt that” Gear snapped. “This isn’t over between us. You didn’t beat me; that no good kid threw the match.”

 

“You...!! You’re still focused on beating me in a duel?! Mel’s lying there dead and you’re only concern is your record? You know, the first time I duelled you, I reached out to you. I tried to help you. But you are beyond any help. To hell with your games, I’m going to... huh?”

 

Before Juruo could finish his threat, he found himself recoiling as heavy purple smoke, appearing from nowhere, surrounded the two. The thick fog stuck in his throat, making it difficult to breathe as it engulfed him and Gear, who grinned sadistically before his face was obscured by the mist.

 

“I am far from done with you Daisuke junior. Next time we face each other, I will destroy you, with the same card that I destroyed your father with!”

 

Juruo gasped as he fell forward, clutching at thin air. Blindly he staggered and tripped, landing with a thud to his gut. When the smoke cleared, he was lying across the seat of Gear’s runner. The rider himself had vanished into thin air. Despair overcame once more, and Juruo let himself collapse entirely, slamming his fist into the side of the machine.

 

“Come on Mel. Don’t give up on me.”

 

Behind him, Tyrana was still desperately trying to revive the defeated duelist. Two full minutes had passed now and still no response. Her own breathing was becoming irregular from the effort and the stress. The chest compressions were becoming more erratic with desperation. Wiping her brow and inhaling deeply, she made one last attempt at the breath of life.

 

There was a choking noise, and with a start, Mel awoke.

 

...

 

Coughing and waving away the thick smoke, Gear found himself standing in the doorway of Demon’s chamber, at the heart of their castle. The room seemed darker than usual to him, before he realised that only half of the candles in the skull fittings had been lit. It seemed colder in here than it normally was too, although aside from that, it was pretty much the same since he had left a few days ago. Bearings gathered, Gear looked into the room, and noticed the two violet slits in the gloom that were focused intently on him. With a gulp, he walked forward. The stench of rotting flesh flooded his senses as he stood before the sorcerer.

 

“Lord Fygmorke, er... thanks for the warp back here... erm, I...”

 

“Silence” demanded the sorcerer, cutting Gear off with a strike of his staff on the stone floor that reverberated around the circular room. “I grow weary of failures and excuses from you, and from the others, but I need the information. What happened in your duel against the two signers you battled? Did they overpower you, or would I be correct in thinking that your ego got in the way...”

 

“We had them, right up until the partner you sent me broke from your control” retorted Gear. “I didn’t lose; he threw the match and opened himself up to a fatal attack from Juruo. If he ever faces me again, one on one, I will crush... him.....”

 

A rumbling, growling noise from the sorcerer made Gear trail off. He could probably sense that he was not revealing all the facts about the duel, but no further comment on it was passed. “Night approaches, and with that the final countdown enters the final throes of its course. Armageddon shall soon be at hand, and this place will be at the centre of destruction. We must keep our defences unyielding. The signers have been delayed, but insufficiently. You may soon have your rematch with Juruo that you yearn so desperately for Gear. Do not fail again. Now get out of my sight.”

 

Gear hastened to obey, turning and sprinting for the door. In the doorway however, he turned to face the old man.

 

“What do I tell Erin?” The sorcerer paused as he considered his response.

 

“Tell her what you saw. That her brother was killed by her precious love Juruo.”

 

...

 

Panting heavily, Mel stared up at the sky, blinking several times as his sight adjusted. Senses dull, he could see someone who looked familiar collapse beside him, and hear what sounded like cheering. Everything seemed so foggy. Why were there fifteen mini-suns in two arcs above him? Why was he wearing this silly cape thing? And why was in the middle of nowhere with the guys, who all looked so exhausted and happy at the same time? Presumably it had something to do with him lying on his back, and the very flustered girl he now recognised as Tyrana who was collapsed beside him.

 

“Almost lost you there half-pint” Sabin gasped, hauling him to his feet despite his bewilderment. “Seriously, could you have been any more melodramatic with the whole martyrdom thing?”

 

“Cut it out Sabin, he was obviously under manipulation of some kind.” Yuma jabbed him in the ribs, before embracing Mel in a tight hug, making him blush terribly. “Thank goodness you are alright.”

 

Luca pulled the exhausted Tyrana upright, supporting her under the shoulder. “Nice work partner. Hey Juruo. Juruo, look over here.”

 

Juruo vaguely heard someone calling to him, telling him... something. It didn’t seem very important right now. However, the shouts continued, making demands of him. Didn’t they see what he had done? He wished they’d shut up. Blearily, he pushed himself upright to tell them such. As he rose, he saw the jubilant faces a little way away; as Luca propped up Tyrana, the sheepishly beaming Sabin, the relieved Hikari, and the boy he had killed... hugging Yuma and wide awake? Disbelievingly he staggered over, still staring at Mel like he was a ghost, back from the dead to haunt his conscience.

 

“He’s... alive...? But... how?”

 

Everyone nodded in the direction of Tyrana, who was red in the face and exhausted, and half shrugged at him. Relief was overwhelming. To everyone’s alarm, Juruo grabbed the punk in a tight hug, smiling and laughing, before kissing her on the forehead. Tyrana went even redder, mumbling something about ‘don’t be an idiot’ in embarrassment. The elated Juruo proceeded to grab Mel in a bearhug, lifting him off his feet and nearly crushing his ribs in his delight before Sabin pulled him off.

 

“Calm down. We only just revived the shrimp after you killed him the first time.”

 

“I know, and I’m sorry. But I just couldn’t bear it, the thought I’d... well you’re alive now, that’s all that matters.”

 

“Yeah... I guess...er, what happened?” Mel said weakly. His vision flickered and he staggered slightly, thankfully Yuma caught him this time.

 

“I think we need to find the nearest town and stop for the night. We’re all too emotionally drained to go any further today, and could do with the rest. Is there a town nearby?”

 

Swagger in step, Juruo spun on his heel and made for the runners. “Probably. It sounds like a luxury we shouldn’t take, but I guess we all need it. As long as we burn some rubber tomorrow, we should take the time to recuperate. Let’s go.”

 

Mel was saddled up with Yuma and Sabin on the largest runner, and the group set off for a place to stop.

 

...

 

After an hour’s drive, the party arrived in Gorge Town. The radar had indicated the place was free from monster attacks, and with everyone so intense from the events that had transpired shortly before, getting to an inn all in one piece was a merciful relief. Booking two rooms (Luca had been given enough cash by the Resistance to cover the necessary pit stops), everyone piled upstairs, except for Hikari and Sabin who had volunteered to get some food. Upon their return everyone chowed down, Mel being allowed hearty portions of everything so that he could regain some strength. Meals devoured, everyone settled themselves to regroup, and begin the unspoken process that they all knew had to happen; getting as much information from the former hostage as possible.

 

Yuma sat beside the boy on the bed, taking his hand in hers for reassurance and smiling warmly. “Mel, can you remember much of the last few days? Like where you were and who you were with?”

 

“Er...” Mel looked at all of the faces that were fixed on him. He still felt very weak from the attack, but it was also like an enormous weight had just been lifted from his shoulders. Clasping Yuma’s hand tightly, he closed his eyes and forced himself to think. “I remember being locked up in a castle. In a bedroom, high up. I think... I was there for a few days... and then I tried to escape. But Demon stopped me.” Mel gasped as he suddenly remembered who Demon was, and what he was doing.

 

“What did he do to you?” Mel turned to see Hikari, sat on the bed opposite, address him. She looked different since he last saw her. Obviously with the change of clothes but just... different.

 

“He... talked to me... He didn’t bully me or talk down to me at all... He was just sat there waiting for me during my escape, and then he told me all about this place he called Utopia. He said he was trying to take as many people as he could to a better place, where everyone who made it there would be happier. All he and the others were trying to do was end everyone’s suffering, because in Utopia, suffering isn’t possible. He said that my sister supported him, and that if I did as well, then I would be helping to save a lot of people from the torment they endure here, either by ending their nightmare in this world or by taking them to Utopia. I didn’t believe him, and I said I didn’t think it was possible. He got angry after a while, and took me back upstairs and locked me up again.”

 

Juruo blinked in surprise “So he didn’t actually... do anything...?”

 

Mel shook his head. “I don’t think so. He said I’d be no use to him if I didn’t have faith like the others, and that he respected my sister too much to force me into anything. So he just made sure I couldn’t get out again and left me in my bedroom. Until yesterday...” Mel clutched his head as he struggled to remember. “I remember duelling now. I was hating every second of it as I watched you two suffer, but I couldn’t stop myself, something was making me do it.”

 

“We saw that before with Carla and Osborn.” Sabin stood upright from where he had been leaning casually against a wall with his arms folded. “The whole glowing purple duel shield thing. Pass it over a sec.” The duel shield had since been removed, and was lying in a corner. Juruo got up and passed it to him for study.

 

“Hmm... this has been modified with some clever looking stuff, like ours but better. It’s thicker than our shields, that probably took some of the brunt off of the attack. Figures; if Demon knew that duels would start inflicting real damage, he’d have his minions as well protected themselves as he could. Also...” Sabin removed the deck and flicked through it card for card. “Let’s see. Share the Pain. Gear-Gearano. Nope. Juruo, that tuner monster isn’t here.”

 

“Infernity Avenger? I thought at the time that was odd. But neither Carla nor Osborn used anything like it. I’ve never seen a card like it before.”

 

“We have” Luca interrupted from where he was sat on the dresser, realisation dawning on him. “When we faced Nero, he used something called Infernity Randomizer. And he was definitely possessed by something.”

 

“Every deck has at least forty cards in Juruo, remember? I’m willing to put my runner on it that they had these Infernity monsters in their decks somewhere when they faced us. We know Demon doesn’t use them, but I’ve seen someone who could well do, when we escaped from the castle.” Sabin crouched down in front of Mel so he could look him in the face. “Mel, did you ever see or meet a guy covered in a robe and carrying a staff?”

 

Mel closed his eyes, and immersed himself in his mind for a few moments, desperately trying to remember. The duel was getting clearer now, how he had begged to be released from... something. And the night he talked with Demon was clearer, but the events in between there and then were still blurry.

 

Then he jumped in panic, as a person invaded his mind that he wished immediately he had forgotten.

 

“He came to me, I remember now. His name was Fygmorke. He seemed such a helpless old man, all frail leaning on his staff and hiding behind his thick robes, I couldn’t see his face. He said he was a prisoner too, that he was going to be sharing my cell for a bit, and that we could duel to pass the time. So we did, and he used those Infernity thingies, and he beat me. Seeing how dejected I was, he said I might have better luck with a spare deck and duel shield he had used, so I tried it on. And then...” Mel shuddered, and shook his head. He couldn’t remember anything else.

 

...

 

Balancing the tray of food he was carrying in one hand, Raesir flipped through his ring of keys, trying ones that looked right until - at the fourth attempt - he got the one that opened the thick wooden door in front of him. Pushing the door open, he took his lighter out of his pocket, and descended down the dark spiralling staircase. It had been a few days since he was last here, but then according to everyone else, it was his fault that the cells had become empty to begin with. Reaching the base of the stairs and turning to the cell on his right, he dropped the tray and banged on the steel lattice, before turning to leave.

 

A pale hand shot out between the metalwork and grabbed him around the collar of his jacket.

 

Surprised by the speed of the attack, Raesir tried too late to pull away as another hand grabbed him and pulled, slamming him back first into the metal. In the gloom Erin’s piercing blue eyes narrowed as she fought to restrain the flame haired duelist, wrapping her arm around his throat then the other around his forehead, and pulling with all the strength she had left. Blind and struggling to fight off her grip, Raesir bought his lighter under her wrist. Erin bit her lip, as her eyes began to water, trying hard not to let go despite the agony of her burning skin. Raesir was weakening, if she could just hold on for a few more seconds. The seconds dragged as she kept the sleeper hold in place, Raesir thrashing and kicking out with increased fury, the pain building and building.

 

She couldn’t hold on. Erin let go and shrank back into her cell with a whimper, cradling her burnt arm, as Raesir fell forward, taking great gulps of oxygen as he tried to regain senses. When he eventually stood, he kicked the plate of food in anger, sending its contents flying and splattering across the cell, and indeed its prisoner.

 

“Damn it! You’re lucky I’m under orders not to harm you or I’d come in there and give your head a good kicking in right now. You’ve been nothing but trouble since you came here, no wonder he had you locked up. Don’t expect me to make you anymore.”

 

“I wasn’t going to eat it anyway” Erin said stoically, wiping some gruel like stuff off her face.

 

Raesir continued to rage and curse her for a minute, but she didn’t respond. There was no point in getting angry now. She had been down here for pretty much the last twenty four hours, and it didn’t seem they were going to let her out. Exhausting himself of insults, Raesir slid to the floor, taking off his bandana to ruffle his hair before replacing it.

 

“Yeah, that’s probably a smart move. I’ve tried it before and it was disgusting.” Erin sat on her small bed and shrugged, prompting a long silence. She pulled out a tear drop shaped necklace from under her shirt, and stared at it mournfully. Fidgeting awkwardly, Raesir picked up his lighter and replaced it, coughing to get Erin’s attention. “Why are we even fighting? We’re so close y’know, why was it all got to go to pot now?”

 

“If you’re so concerned about me, why don’t you ask him to reconsider my imprisonment?” She scoffed at Raesir’s panicked reaction. “I thought not. All I want is my brother back and safe, I don’t care about anything else anymore. Making a perfect world for him was one of the reasons I joined this campaign. Why has he got to use him like this, and hold him against me?”

 

There was another long pause, which Raesir interrupted awkwardly again. “Look Erin, if it means anything, I know what being separated from family is like, so I know it hurts.” Erin turned and glowered at him, making him fidget some more. “Look I’m just sympathising with you, alright? That’s all. Sorry I can’t do much else.”

 

Both of them looked up as the sound of footsteps echoed down from the stone staircase, heralding someone else’s arrival. That someone turned out to be Gear. He was pale looking, and his mechanical wrist was spinning around on its own accord as if it had a twitch, something was clearly up.

 

“Let me guess. You’re in the dog house too?” Raesir asked, prompting a scowl from the unshaven man. Raesir rolled his eyes as his question was answered clearly. “Getting really cramped in here.”

 

“Be quiet, what happened wasn’t my fault” Gear snapped. Raesir chortled; he’d heard that before, a few times from himself.

 

“Alright, so what happened that ‘wasn’t your fault’ exactly?”

 

“That’s what I’m here to tell Erin.” The blue haired girl blinked as she heard her name, standing to approach the steel framework separating her from the two boys. Raesir was looking puzzled at the half mechanical Gear, who himself was looking the most worried she’d ever seen him. He placed his metal hand on the latch, testing to make sure it definitely wasn’t going to open, and took a deep breath.

 

“Erin, I’ve just come back from fighting Juruo and Sabin, and Fygmorke sent your brother over to tag with me. I don’t know how to tell you this, but he allowed himself to take a four thousand damage attack from Juruo’s dragon. I’m... genuinely, I’m really sorry.”

 

The silence in the dungeons was deafening, as the young man hung his head. There was a long, terrible pause, as two bewildered faces stared at the messenger. Screaming in rage, Erin grabbed Gear; she would force him to admit he was lying, that this was some ploy by Demon and Fygmorke to make her resent Juruo. But the grief in his eyes, the honest fear and empathy in his brown eyes, told her that he wasn’t lying. In an instant, Erin’s whole world crashed around her and shattered into nothingness.

 

...

 

A few hours later and the members of the party were beginning to fall asleep. Melanc had been filled in on each member’s events, including the journey north of the one group, the fall of the Empire by the others, and how they all had been chosen to bear the marks of the holy dragons, united as a force to stop Demon’s Armageddon. Mel found these marks ‘awesome’ and was full of questions about each person’s dragon, but quickly became tired out and was sent to bed. The others shortly followed, setting the alarm to get up early and continue the race south, although what to do with their rescued friend would depend on his overnight recovery.

 

Tyrana was unable to go straight to sleep. The events of the last twenty four hours or so kept playing through her mind, travelling at breakneck speed as she had been thrust from one dire situation to another, her world turned upside down and then inside out again as things got more and more insane, and more and more desperate. She was just an everyday girl who had been trying to protect people she felt had been abused and mistreated in her city. This led to her making a stand against the emperor Nero himself, fighting desperately to protect her allies Luca and Dominik, as well as the thousands caught in civil war. She had been on the brink of defeat, perhaps even death, when the mark she now glanced at, the claw, appeared on her arm, and the Life Stream Dragon appeared in her deck. With the aid of this dragon, she had defeated the Emperor, and the fighting was over.

 

But then it wasn’t over. Something... this Fygmorke as far as she could deduce, had been controlling the Emperor for some time. He and this Demon guy who the others had spoken of but she had not seen, along with his cohorts like Gear, were trying to destroy the world. Again she couldn’t really get her head around their motives, or how she was supposed to save the world, everything was just moving so quickly and she felt like she was being dragged along behind it all. What was she doing here?

 

Then she thought of her actions today. She had saved a life. That was why she was doing this. She had been granted strength to save many lives that would be lost to oblivion if she didn’t use it. But she didn’t feel like she had to fight, she wanted to fight, because the feeling she got when Mel was reawakened in her arms was one of indescribable joy. Resolve set, she stood up and went to the on-suite to get a glass of water.

 

Flicking on the light in the bathroom, she blinked in surprise to see a pair of big green eyes staring back at her. Curled up in the corner of the room, shivering and cowering, was a small creature with white fur and long ears, that looked sort of like a cat. The cat had a little golden crown on its head, and a ring around its long tail. It stared at her and mewed sadly, the little thing was clearly very frightened. Curious, Tyrana crouched down to it and held out her hand. The creature looked at it tentatively, before giving it a soft lick. Reassured this human was friendly, the cat uncurled itself, and allowed Tyrana to pick it up, mewing happily as she tickled its chin.

 

When she came out of the bathroom, she almost jumped out of her skin to find one of her allies waiting for her, staring her full in the face. Still cradled in her arms, the cat cried in distress, to some it might have sounded like fear. A little moonlight crept between the curtains, revealing the disgusted look the girl was giving her.

 

“You realise he was just overwhelmed with Mel’s revival.” Hikari spoke slowly, eyes boring through her, and making no effort to conceal her scowl. “Nothing more.”

 

“Of course I know that.” Tyrana blinked as Hikari stepped into the light slightly, and her eyes flashed. Did she just see what she thought she had? No, surely not. She pulled her fringe out of her eyes and looked at the girl again, but whatever she thought she’d seen had gone. In her arms, the cat held its paws out to the other girl. Hikari looked down at it and gulped, recoiling slightly at the sight, much to the punk’s confusion. A few seconds past in tense silence. Finally the cat cried a little whimper to itself, and faded from sight, leaving Tyrana cradling thin air.

 

The creatures mystifying disappearance seemed to ease Hikari. Her expression turned to a forced smile as she looked at the bewildered Tyrana, a kind of smile that says ‘things are fine’, when really they are far from.

 

“Alright, as long as we are clear. Good night.”

...

 

As the sun started to rise over the hillside, a stranger in town, riding a small black duel runner, looked up to the sky and smirked. Only four more fireballs to go, and everything that had been strived after for so long would be reached. Every promise of supreme happiness and every dream of a carefree world would be fulfilled.

 

But there were still those pests who were determined to get in their way and had to be stopped. One of their number was of particular interest, having been reunited with her for a while only recently, and then separated again without a proper chance to catch up. Still, the stranger didn’t intend to do so now, that time had passed and the orders were clear, orders that would be followed with delight. The stranger continued to roll on, until the town inn was reached. This would be where they were staying, and where they would meet their doom. No silly card games, no messing around.

 

The stranger stood up, and removed her helmet. As she looked up at the windows of the inn, a black widow spider crawled out from under her eyelid.

 

...

 

Early morning sunlight seeped through the curtains, gently caressing Juruo’s face. The world seemed oddly peaceful at this moment; waking from sleep to be with your friends on such a pleasant looking morning. Juruo rubbed his eyes and pushed himself upright, blearily adjusting to his surroundings. The other guys were also starting to wake up, Luca muting the alarm that was about to go off for them to get up and continue their journey, Mel stretching, and looking a lot better for the nights rest. It wouldn’t be long before the girls woke up too, and they could set off. Since everyone had slept in their clothes, it would only take a quick wash and some breakfast before they were ready for the long day ahead. Pushing his hair into its usual controlled mess of a style, Juruo reached for one of his shoes.

 

It was at that moment that Hikari burst into the room in frenzied panic.

 

“Everyone stop, don’t move!”

 

Everyone did stop in bewilderment as Hikari snatched the boot out of Juruo’s hand, tipped it upside and started shaking it madly. Her eyes narrowed, as nothing appeared to happen. Undeterred by the boys reaction to this weird behaviour, she threw it down and picked up Juruo’s other boot, shaking it upside down and slapping the sole.

 

The boy’s faces turned white as a black spider dropped through the air.

 

As soon as the black widow hit the floor, Hikari stamped on it. Repeatedly. By this time, Yuma and Tyrana had also entered; faces equally pale. “There were three in our room. One bite will result in a quick and painful death. Carefully get your things and leave” said Yuma. Instinctively, Sabin vaulted out of bed, and the blood instantly drained from his face as another spider was seen flying through the air, landing in the centre of the room. It must have been crawling across his covers. If he had been asleep for a few more seconds...

 

Thus began a methodical search for essential items and clothing, everything checked and double checked before it was touched. A third and final spider was found hiding in the fittings of Luca’s duel shield, which had to be washed out in the small bath in the on-suite. Six spiders meant for six signers. Whilst all this frenzy was going on, Hikari had marched to the boy’s window, and stood staring out of it until the others were ready.

 

Luca was doubled over and breathing raggedly when he spoke. “Ok... now we’re all still alive, anyone have any idea where they came from?”

 

“She finally caught up with me” Hikari whispered from by the window, making everyone turn to her. Her hands were shaking as she clenched her fists, her knuckles whitening above the start of her wraps. Yuma approached her and looked out to see what was upsetting her, and immediately recoiled at the sight of the person waiting outside staring up at them, staring straight at Hikari and smiling sickly. Turning back to her friend, Yuma tried to speak, but before she had opened her mouth Hikari had whipped around to look at her. Her eyes were burning with a fury that made Yuma speechless. When she spoke, her voice was empty of all emotion, except for anger.

 

“My mother is here.”

 

 

 

[spoiler=Postscrpits]

PS: Okay, who saw that end coming? I think I know one of you did.

PPS: A rep to the first person who can see the real theme behind most of Mel's cards?

PPPS: Wish I had got an Infernity in Osborn's deck all the way back then now.

 

 

 

Chapter 50, and potentially 51 as well up on Friday.

 

Comments and thoughts on the chapter and the continuation of this fic in general please?

[Lexadin]

1st of all, congrats on perhaps getting a own flat.

 

2nf of all, tbh I don't mind either options.

 

Now back to the story. Lord Fygmorke? Huh, for some reason I half expected it to be Caius. But I gues it's an ok name. Oh, he uses Infernity? That's interesting. I wonder if he'll use them properly enough to be a good foe.

 

I like the addition to Rinyan being 'scared'(?) of Hikari's new self. I didn't even notice her (I presume its a her) absence till this chapter.

 

THAT IS A PLOTTWIST. Really, really well done. For that plottwist alone you'll get a Rep. (I won't spoil it)

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

1st of all, congrats on perhaps getting a own flat.

 

2nf of all, tbh I don't mind either options.

 

Now back to the story. Lord Fygmorke? Huh, for some reason I half expected it to be Caius. But I gues it's an ok name. Oh, he uses Infernity? That's interesting. I wonder if he'll use them properly enough to be a good foe.

 

I like the addition to Rinyan being 'scared'(?) of Hikari's new self. I didn't even notice her (I presume its a her) absence till this chapter.

 

THAT IS A PLOTTWIST. Really, really well done. For that plottwist alone you'll get a Rep. (I won't spoil it)

 

Thank you kindly sir. Some company is currently doing checks on my financial history and stuff, but once that all clears it should be mine.

 

Well, with Caius, I have used duel spirits and intend to use some more in this, but I wouldn't want to use one of an archtype for storyline purposes like Caius, because I'd feel obliged to use the rest (Rinyan not withstanding). Plus the idea of a duel spirit impregnating a human... For anyone who is interested, Fygmorke comes from the two Danish words for 'dreadful darkness' slammed together. Dunno why Danish exactly, I just put dreadful darkness into a translator and went through every language. And I wanted a name beginning with F.

 

You know I almost, ALMOST forgot to put it in, and only remembered at the last minute (trying not to spoiler). J', Sab and Hikari's spirits appearances have been an inconsistent plot device and I admit that, but I've not wanted to overdo them. Dunno if I've got them right or not. I've referred to Rinyan as a her so far, I think.

 

Does that explain some things Erin said, or the noted absentees from the bonus chapter?

 

(Is awaiting his rep...)

 

Oh yeah...

 

ANOTHER IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

 

My desktop computer (the one that I own and do all the writing for this one) keeps blacking out on me. Dunno what the problem is but it will probably stunt this for some time.

[Vector Nightmare]

Intentionally held off commenting until this chapter was available. My thoughts on 48 were not quite the best, so I wanted to see how 49 would go.

 

The duel's ending was... alright, I guess. It didn't come off as a surprise that Mel was the cause of Gears' downfall, though you did it in a nice, round-about manner that I appreciated. The after-effects of that battle... namely, Mel being injured and Juruo beating himelf over it... they were resolved so damn fast that they totally felt like a contrived plot device to bring Mel back to the main group and piss Erin off, rather than a plot point of their own right. Also Mel's attitude was way too cheerful considering the circumstances.

 

On one hand, I don't like one-shot villains. I can easily get on with three or more duels per minor villain, if they can adequately fit. But for Gears, you're pushing it. He dueled Juruo once... and it was interrupted. Then he got into a tag duel against Juruo... and it was what can be essentially called 'interrupted' by external factors. In the foreseeable future he's going to duel a third time against... Juruo. It would be fine if you had this duel be against someone else, or another pair, from the group, but this is just pushing the Juruo-Gears-Tatsan plotline a little too much. Gears is not my most favorite of villains, and I'm afraid his vendetta has been sort of drained already. Without some reasonably major plot twist, I don't think I'll have any interest in him any more.

 

I definitely liked Fygmorke (whom I originally read as Fygmorde), though I maintain the sudde exposition about him was rather anti climactic, considering how long we've been kept in the dark. I liked how he toyed with Mel. In fact, everything that was contained in Mel's recollections was very well-received by me. It is the present events that left me a little baffled. Incarcerating Erin... I really can't see much point in that from Demon's or, more importantly, Fygmorke's point of view, but since it adds something nice to the plot, I'll leave it at the 'I'm evil and I like to do evil things' excuse. And if I was trying to kill someone, the first thing I'd do was disable their arms. I won't even begin to mention how unlikely it is that Erin, even though physically strong, exhausted an\d apparently underfed as she was in the confines of her prison, was able to hold Raesir in that grip without him managing to pry her hands away with brute force. But since this is a story about card games, and you also have the desperation card to play here, I won't read too much into it.

 

Yep, I'm definitely getting Amamiya vibes from Hikari. The Rinyan touch was nice as well. I don't think the companion spirit plot thread is going badly so far - I wouldn't like it if it was right there all the time. Even if you don't end up doing anything important with them (I hope you will), it's still good. What I really liked was the tying of some things together, like connecting Nero's situation with that of Osborn and the others etc. This has really made me skeptical about how exactly things go in the enemy HQ. Thus far Demon had seemed like the absolute power, following his father's instructions - but those two being more or less 'equal' in standing, as the others didn't seem to know much about or care much about the sorcerer pulling the strings. Though it became almost blatantly obvious to us that Fygmorke was the one behind it all since we got some insight into Demon's past and thoughts, I didn't expect it to be so for the group as well. That was one of the things that I had been thinking about for a few chapters, but waited to get a more complete picture before referencing. I don't know if that's exactly good or bad, but it feels a little underexposed right now. I think you rushed Fygmorke into the main scene too fast. If noone really knew anything about him, and they only just started suspecting his existence, or at least his influence, by Mel's descriptions, that would have been ideal for me.

 

I think I've analyzed everything reasonably and I don't want to end this on a skeptical note. This tag duel wasn't one of my favorites, except for the Sabin parts and Cyberdark Dragon. The plot progression seems fine, though I'm afraid that you're forcing some plot threads to greater lengths than necessary, resulting in a more sluggish pace.

 

I fear you might find moving to your own place rather daunting (depends on how you've lived up until now, really). Even with immediate internet access, I doubt between familiarizing yourself with the new environment (if you're moving somewhere relatively distanced from your current residence) and coping with the added responsibilities, you won't have time for much in the way of writing. As a reader, I'd of course like to read as much as possible before that inevitable break, but as a human I advise you to prioritize preparing for the move. If you think you can comfortably write and post up to chapter 60 until you move, and then take a break for the epilogue chapters, that would be nice (as that would also reduce your writing load after your move, and leave you a longer timeframe to maneouver about). If you feel you are rushed for time, sticking with the regular schedule and taking a hiatus is all good as well, provided you find a reasonable point to cut the story off for a bit. I wouldn't say otherwise, since Dead Zone is already on a too long hiatus, which should be ending soon *hint hint*.

 

Whatever you decide, congratulations and good luck with your move. I hope everything goes as expected.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

As ever Saber, thank you for the fantastically indepth reiew.

 

Will take the critisism on the chin as always without going 'but, but, but'. Last thing I want to do is be stubborn and make this boring.

 

Anyway key points to clear up. Erin has been locked up because, as you can imagine, she is furious with Fygmorke and Demon getting Mel involved, and it's the simpliest way of controlling her. Grab someone round the neck by surprise like that and you'll stand a chance, plus as you said desperately trying to escape.

 

As for Fygmorke, I didn't want to on the flipside leave him too late.

 

Oh and thanks for the kind words on the move. I've lived on my own before so I should be okay, although that was in digs where the bills were far different. With this I've currently written upto Ch. 56, but am now stumped with computer problems so for now it's just being 'played by ear'. 56 wouldn't be a bad place to end, I dunno we'll see.

[Lexadin]

Thank you kindly sir. Some company is currently doing checks on my financial history and stuff, but once that all clears it should be mine.

 

Well, with Caius, I have used duel spirits and intend to use some more in this, but I wouldn't want to use one of an archtype for storyline purposes like Caius, because I'd feel obliged to use the rest (Rinyan not withstanding). Plus the idea of a duel spirit impregnating a human... For anyone who is interested, Fygmorke comes from the two Danish words for 'dreadful darkness' slammed together. Dunno why Danish exactly, I just put dreadful darkness into a translator and went through every language. And I wanted a name beginning with F.

 

You know I almost, ALMOST forgot to put it in, and only remembered at the last minute (trying not to spoiler). J', Sab and Hikari's spirits appearances have been an inconsistent plot device and I admit that, but I've not wanted to overdo them. Dunno if I've got them right or not. I've referred to Rinyan as a her so far, I think.

 

Does that explain some things Erin said, or the noted absentees from the bonus chapter?

 

(Is awaiting his rep...)

 

Oh yeah...

 

ANOTHER IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

 

My desktop computer (the one that I own and do all the writing for this one) keeps blacking out on me. Dunno what the problem is but it will probably stunt this for some time.

 

Good to hear then.

 

I can understand, though it just seems to fit imo. I can see that happening btw, seeing as the Monarchs are quite humanoid (though Demon would probebly be more bulky then). Danish is Scandinavian, which is quite awesome. So I can understand why.

 

Yes I thought you did, but wasn't totaly shure (so that's why there's some insecurity).

 

Now that you've mentioned it, yes it does.

 

Was Rep-locked yesterday, I gave it to you today.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Thanks Lex

 

Hi guys,

 

busy day and have to go now, but here's the chapter. No time to add hyperlinks, but enjoy.

 

[spoiler=Chapter 50]

Chapter 50 - Along Came a Spider

 

Hikari kicked the door of the inn open as she marched outside, duel shield already armed and ready. In her wake the others followed, hastily apologising to three terrified looking people who were eating breakfast. Following the possessed girl outside into the street illuminated by the bright morning, the party saw the woman waiting for them. Yuma, Luca and Tyrana, who were seeing her for the first time, almost vomited. For Juruo and Sabin, there were expressions of pure hate. Juruo involuntarily winced as he thought of the shoulder wound that he had only just recovered from, that this devil had given him. Hikari stomped ahead of them, facing her ‘mother’, Urusula.

 

Urusula was of a similar build to Hikari, and that was where the similarities ended. Her dark blonde hair fell all the way down the back of the muddy green dress, a tight and revealing outfit. Black lace gloves and stockings covered her lower arms and legs, with green leather riding boots that came just over the ankle, and an olive duel shield completed her look. But her face drew most attention away from her slutty appearance. Veins produced from her cheeks and brow, as well as the exposed skin elsewhere. Her eyes - that had been enlarged with dark eyeliner and makeup - were pitch black and pupil-less, and when she blinked, her eyelids closed sideways, like an insect or an alien. Buzzing around her were several hornets. Large ones with greenish bodies. Juruo shuddered, remembering the swarm of flies that she had expelled from her own body as a distress call after he and Aerial escaped from her clutches.

 

“I must be out of practice with subtle assassinations” she mocked, even her voice was creepy. “No matter, now you’ve all crawled out of your hole to face me, my other pets can just attack you directly.” The swarm of hornets surrounding her buzzed threateningly, prepared to strike.

 

“What, that’s it? The first time you see me properly since you walked out on me and dad and you torture me, now you’re just going to kill me and my friends with such cowardly tactics” Hikari blurted out without thinking, continuing to march forward from the rest without paying any attention to the swarm. “Have you really sunk that deep into madness, or been blinded by Demon to not recognise your own child?”

 

“Blind and mad?” Urusula whispered, raising an eyebrow. “I knew full well of your coming before you arrived at Glamisery. My eyes are open wider than yours. You are the one who crawls around blind my dear child.”

 

“Whoa, hang on” Luca interrupted. “How can you two be related, when you’re... different” he finished diplomatically.

 

“What, the insect thing?” snapped Hikari. “Mutant genes I guess. A freak of nature. I must have inherited most of my looks and virtues from father. Thank god, I couldn’t stand to look at myself if I looked like that.”

 

A vein pulsed across Urusula’s forehead as her eyes narrowed. “You arrogant little horror. You think I am ugly? Bah, I am beautiful, you are ugly. I see you have changed your look since I last saw you at Glamisery, now you display those scars for all to see, like badges of honour? They are the scars of a blind and ignorant fool; a stubborn brat who thinks way too highly of herself. As for your father, you don’t have the faintest idea who your father is or what he is like!”

 

“What are you talking about?” Hikari snapped.

 

“You’re what now, sixteen? I’m thirty two. Do the maths.”

Mel started to do the maths on his fingers and opened his mouth to speak, but Juruo put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head, staring at Hikari, whose head dropped slightly. “No...”

 

“Yes. The man who raised you is not your father. Your real father and I, how we got to together is of little concern, but rest assured you were an accident, and as soon as that worthless boy found out about you, he tried to run away. Foolish little human, he paid for that.” Urusula raised her free hand and clenched it into a fist. “Alone and with child, your ‘father’ Maverus took pity on me, and gave me a home for myself and you. He had a big heart your adoptive father, going against his family’s wishes to help and be with me, I will grant him that much. But he couldn’t give me anything I really wanted. I hoped you could, that I could find happiness in a child who shared my abilities, who displayed some power like mine. I tried to bring it out of you by giving your deck and teaching you duel monsters. You got good at the game, but no hidden talents emerged. You were nothing special, you were just another disappointment. You were no daughter of mine. Eventually I stopped wasting my time, and got a better offer from someone who could fulfil my needs.”

 

“From my uncle?” Yuma guessed. “You walked out on your husband and daughter to join my uncle and his plans. What promise could he have made to tear you away from those who loved you?”

 

“Foolish girl, Lord Demon promised me everything that I could dream for. What did I care that I had to leave behind that hopeless man and my talentless child? When I could have so much more. Do you realise how hard my life has been in a society of mindless sheep, who are scared of everything that breaks from their monotonous rules. How they bleated when they saw a black sheep in the flock, and tried to destroy it at every turn? Those pathetic people. They cannot see I am simply a cocoon, and a butterfly inside me waits for release.”

 

“I guess by that you mean Utopia” Juruo said, duel shield readied for anything. The others copied his motion.

 

“Oh put those away, they will do you no good. You are correct however. In Utopia, everything will be different. I joined Demon’s cause to start this wonderful journey to a promised land, gathering everything he needed to propel us there, and taking out all who would oppose his noble cause. Do you know what awaits me in Utopia?” The question was of course rhetorical, but the group played to her tune and shrugged.

 

“A perfect world in my image. Dense humid forests of astounding beauty. Endless places for my friends to grow and multiply. But most importantly, it will be a world where insects are the dominant species, and birds, reptiles and humans are the hunted prey. In Utopia my powers will be fully unlocked; I will be capable of anything I wish. I will able to sense pleasures beyond that of mere humans. Why on earth would I choose Maverus and Hikari over such paradise?”

 

Before her, Hikari was staring at the ground. She was shaking violently. Her words were little more than a hushed whisper, harsh and laced with her own venom. “I don’t care. He raised me, he was my father. You walked out on us when I was nine years old. How bad must it have been for father to think I’d be better off thinking you’d been arrested and executed by the Empire, than what you’d really left for? But he couldn’t hide the stories of people dying from me; poisoned in their sleep. Somehow I knew it was you. You were making thousands suffer for yourself. I thought for ages that I was fighting against the Empire for those who suffered, but I guess all along I was just looking for you.” Hikari looked up; there were no tears, just a stare of hatred. “Now I’m going to make you pay for everything you’ve done!”

 

“Hmm... eliminate a signer personally, and cut off the one who has plagued my life. I like the sound of that, and I accept. Before we settle this, some housekeeping” Urusula simpered. She opened her arms, and her eyes rolled back into their sockets. A loud buzzing started to come from within her, as her body shook. To the groups appalled horror, more hornets started to come out of her body. Out of her mouth, from under her dress, out of her hair, dozens of the green and black hornets emerged, a small swarm of them. Urusula raised her free hand, and the swarm advanced, flying over her unmoved daughters head, and advancing on the others, backing them against the wall of a shop.

 

“What the hell is this for?” Sabin snapped, stepping backwards as the swarm advanced.

 

“To ensure there is no outside interference” Urusula had returned to herself, and smirked wickedly at him. “Those aren’t normal hornets, and as you might well guess their sting is a bit more fatal than most. One move for your decks, and my pets will strike. One sting is all it takes; and their venom will slowly seep through your blood stream, intoxicating your brain and heart and shutting down all functions one by one. It will be a slow and painful death. But first you will bear witness to her own slow and painful demise.” With that, she armed her duel shield and focused her attention back on her daughter. Both drew five cards with relish.

 

“Let’s duel!”

 

“I’ll take the first move” Urusula declared. Her dead black eyes didn’t seem to leave Hikari for a second, even though she had to check her hand. “I’m going to enjoy this. I summon Koa’ki Meiru Beetle in attack mode.”

 

A portal opened in the ground in front of the bug lady, making way for a giant stag beetle, bottle green in colour except for the three golden horns, to crawl from. The beetle stood larger than its master, waving its horn towards all who stood before it (ATK: 1900). Behind it, Urusula continued to stare straight at her daughter, twisted smile still in place. “I place two cards face down and end my turn. At this time, I’m forced to reveal another insect type monster in my hand, or Koa’ki Meiru Beetle is destroyed. But I have another one here in my hand, so it survives. Your turn daughter dearest.”

 

“You asked for this” Hikari snarled, drawing out her card with wild force. “To start with, I summon Fabled Urustos in attack mode, and then I’ll place two cards face down.” Before Hikari descended a dark angel, who had decayed since her fall until only a skeleton remained. Her wings had turned black, like the cloak she had donned to hide her appearance. As the Fabled descended, a slight chill passed over the watching group (ATK: 1500).

 

“Next I’m activating the spell card ‘Exchange’. This card allows us to see each other’s hand, and then choose a card to take from the other. I’d never want to come anywhere near you but...” Hikari nonetheless walked over to her opponent, and revealed her two remaining cards; Card Destruction and One for One. Begrudgingly Urusula did the same.

 

“Oh, how sweet for a mother and daughter to share things.” Urusula scoffed. She reached out to touch Hikari’s hair, but she stepped back, prompting another smirk. “Your father clearly did not raise you well girl, for you to act so highly strung. I guess Card Destruction will do for now.”

 

“Whatever. Since you need to keep revealing insects in your hand to keep your beetle in play, and you only have one at the moment, I’ll take that. Not that I’m keeping your disgusting bug, because I’m throwing it away to activate One for One, in order to summon Fabled Beast Caitsith from my deck.” Hikari turned and threw the card over her shoulder as she walked away. Urusula snatched the card out of the air and placed it in her graveyard, scowling as the black cat appeared (DEF: 600). Back on her side of the field, Hikari raised a card to the heavens above. “Now I tune Caithsith and Urustos to Synchro summon the demon prince of the fallen kingdom, Fabled Ragin!”

 

Ragin descended from high above, sword drawn, but Urusula simply cackled to herself.

 

“Is that all? Don’t you remember? The effect of Koa’ki Meiru Beetle now activates. Since you’ve special summoned a light attribute monster in attack mode, my beetle now shifts it into defence instead.”

 

“I know that, and I don’t really care, because Ragin still lets me draw two cards.” Again Hikari snatched the cards from her deck with excessive force, as Ragin crouched before her (DEF: 1800). “I end my turn.”

 

[spoiler=Summary - End Turn 2]

Urusula - Front Row: KM Beetle. Back Row: Face Down x2. Hand: 3 LP: 4000

Hikari - Front Row: Fabled Ragin. Back Row: Face Down x2 Hand: 2 LP: 4000

 

 

 

“Ooh, such anger. Do you really despise me so much for abandoning you and your father? Can’t you appreciate I was simply trying to follow my dreams of a perfect world, and accept that maybe somewhere deep down in my heart I was pursuing a better world for you to grow up in too?”

 

“I don’t believe that for one second. You’re doing this for yourself and no-one else.”

 

“Actually, you’re right. I am doing this for me, and no-one is going to get in my way. Not the signers, not the duel spirits, not even my own flesh and blood. I draw, and summon Sangan to the field.” A small furry creature with sharp claws and three large eyes appeared. “But he won’t be around for too long, because I’m using the spell card Insect Imitation. By releasing the level three Sangan, I can summon from my deck the level four Cross Sword Beetle.” Another giant beetle rose from the earth, this one brown with four enormous pincers producing from its jaws as its reared on its back legs (ATK: 1800). Inside the inn, the other guests watching the battle quailed and retreated. Even the assembled duelists outside shuddered as they knew what was coming, as Urusula added another card to her hand.

 

“When Sangan is sent to the graveyard, I get to add a monster with fifteen hundred or less attack to my hand. But don’t worry about that right now. All you need to concern yourself with is how you’re going to protect yourself from the bugs on my field. Because with Cross Sword Beetle in the action, all my insects can inflict piercing damage to monsters in defence. Koa’ki Meiru Beetle, take out Fabled Ragin.” The beetle charged, and with one swing cut down the kneeling demon, prompting a wince from Hikari (LP: 3900). To many’s surprise, she just stood there, fists clenched and waiting for the next attack, as Urusula pointed towards her. “Now Cross Sword Beetle, sink your claws into her and tear her apart.”

 

The second beetle charged, and still Hikari did not motion to activate anything. Powerless to help, the others could only watch as the beetle clamped its pincer like jaws around Hikari’s midriff and lifted her off the ground. She bit her lip against the pain, as Urusula stared hungrily at her. Hikari would not give her the satisfaction by screaming. Even when the beetle through her to the floor, with enough force to send her rolling several times, she groaned, before pushing herself upright (LP: 2100)

 

“What did I tell you? You’re nobody; you’re nothing special to anyone. But I am unique, I deserve more than this world where the simple minded normal’s shun me because I’m different; because they fear me and so they should. I deserve my little slice of paradise that we all yearn for, where me and my insects are the dominant species, and I can be truly one with them.”

 

“You’re nothing special either” Hikari rasped, clutching her ribs. “You’re just a freak.”

 

“Hahahahaha, I’ve heard that so many times it doesn’t even mean anything anymore. And I suppose you’re what people would call normal are you? Why would I want to be normal if it means being anything like you, you obnoxious brat? When my powers open to me a world of possibilities you normals cannot possibly comprehend? I end my turn and thus again must reveal an insect in my hand to keep Koa’ki Meiru Beetle on the field. Currently in my hand is the Infernity Beetle I already showed you. Try to fight back if you dare.”

 

“Wait. Did she just say Infernity Beetle?” asked Mel.

 

“Yeah, but I don’t think she’s been controlled by it like you were” replied Juruo. “She’s fully aware of what she’s doing, and she’s loving every moment of it. I hope Hikari has something good up her sleeve.”

 

“It’s my turn. I summon some serious bug crushing power with Fabled Gallabas in attack mode.” A strange green skinned warrior with webbed hands and feet, wearing a black mask and silver upper body armour, crashed down to earth beside Hikari. Behind it the monster dragged an enormous mace; a spiked wrecking ball attached to a long chain being clutched in the webbed hands (ATK: 1500).

 

“I don’t think so. I’m activating the trap card Lair Wire. By removing the ‘disgusting bug’ that you put in my graveyard for me from play, I can destroy your monster before it even has the chance to hurt me.” The spectators hearts sank as the trap opened underneath Gallabas, swallowing the demon whole. Hikari was starting to look even more frustrated, nerves twitching by her temple, temper flaring. Surely there was something else she could do.

 

“I end my turn” she growled to collective horror.

 

[spoiler=Summary - End Turn 4]

Urusula - Front Row: KM Beetle, CS Beetle. Back Row: Face Down. Hand: 3 LP: 4000

Hikari - Front Row: Fabled Ragin. Back Row: Face Down x2 Hand: 2 LP: 2100

 

 

 

“Then it’s time I end this little charade, and your miserable existence, my ignorant child.” The swarm of wasps surrounding Urusula started to drone even louder, itching to sink their venomous stingers into their prey. “First I activate the trap card Needlebug Nest. This sends the top five cards of my deck to my graveyard. Then by removing from play one of the insects that I just milled, I can summon Aztekipede, the Worm Warrior.” The earth erupted as a giant centipede creature ripped through the road surface. A long body protected by hard green scales, the thing towered over the field and glared down at Hikari with its red eyes, baring its teeth and shaking its burrowing claws at her (ATK: 1900)

 

“Just bring it already.”

 

“Gladly” Urusula cried. “Cross Sword Beetle, direct attack!”

 

Reacting instinctively to the sight of a friend in danger, Juruo stepped forward. Immediately the hornets lunged for his face, missing on purpose as Urusula willed it, making them suffer the torment of watching Hikari get crushed again by the unrelenting swarm of insects. Again be lifted from the ground in those terrible pincers, this time to be thrown into the wall of the inn (LP: 300).

 

“I activate the trap card, The Golden Apples. This recovers all the life points I lost with that last attack.” A blue aura emitted from her duel shield, giving her the strength to stand once more (LP: 2100). “In addition, a token is summoned to my field, with attack and defence equal to the life points I just recovered.” A large golden apple rose from a ripple in the earth between the duelists (DEF: 1800).

 

“So you brought yourself one more turn perhaps. That is if you can stand any more punishment. Koa’ki Meiru Beetle attacks, and remember that piercing damage is still applied.” With another crushing blow from its front horn, the apple was sliced in two. Urusula grinned with sadistic pleasure. “Now Aztekipede attacks you directly, reducing you to your knees!”

 

The giant worm creature rocketed skywards, propelled by the strength in its huge body that just went up and up before finally the tail emerged, the worm literally soaring through the air and peaking in a long arc as it came crashing downwards towards Hikari, jaws wide. For all the protection it would offer, Hikari swung her shield in front of it, as the worm came crashing down into the earth, striking her with all its momentum and knocking her backwards, before it sank back into the earth. Hikari lay on her back, twitching slightly, eyes closed. Trapped by the hornets, Yuma reached for a reassuring hand. Sabin blushed slightly as she found his, but no-one noticed as they were focused on Hikari. Slowly, she reached out, clutching at thin air, before she pushed herself into sitting with a pained look, eyes half shut, and then to her opponents increasing look of disbelief, back onto her feet. The group gasped as she swayed violently, catching herself on the porch of the inn for support, until finally she found, from who knows where, the strength to stand freely (LP: 100)

 

“No way! How can you still be standing after so many assaults?” Urusula cursed incredulously.

 

“Because I... will not be stopped... by you. Not until I crush you... for what you’ve done... Because I took damage from Aztekipede... I have to send the top card of my deck to the graveyard. Then it’s my... Draw!” Incredibly, Hikari snatched a card from her deck. She was shaking uncontrollably with anger. “Alright, I admit it, first I was just trying to help others when I started rioting, but I knew you were out there somewhere and you were in some way responsible. Now I’m doing this for me. I will never forgive you for what you’ve done to me and father.”

 

Urusula folded her arms, grinning in victory. “So the truth finally comes out. You’re just a selfish, ignorant little girl with her own self righteous vendetta.”

 

Hikari ignored the slight. “First I activate my face down card, Pot of Avarice, returning five monsters from my graveyard to my deck in order to draw two more cards. Then I summon Fabled Raven to my field in attack mode.” The half human half bird creature floated down with a flap of its black wings, smiling wickedly (ATK: 1300). Hikari held out another card. “Now I activate Raven’s ability. By discarding a card from my hand, his level is increased by one. And the card I discard is Fabled Lurrie, who instead of going to the graveyard, is special summoned to the field in defence.” The small bat fiend appeared briefly, before Raven split into stars above it. “Time for a new beast to charge forth, to trample all over you and your repulsive bugs. I summon Fabled Beast Unicore.”

 

From the portal galloped a magnificent white stallion. Protected by a black helmet that had been moulded around its fine horn, and an armoured saddle covering its back and belly, the unicorn reared and stomped down, neighing impressively. It was a beautiful sight, as the sun made its pure hide shine, it’s wild mane making her a striking beast (ATK: 2300)

 

Urusula shrugged. “Amateur. You forgot Koa’ki Meiru Beetle’s effect already? As soon as you special summon a light monster...”

 

“...its ability activates” Hikari interrupted. “And because we each have three cards in our hand, so does my Unicore’s; which negates all spells, traps, and monster effects that activate and destroys those cards.” Urusula’s dark eyes widened in shock as the tip of the Unicore’s horn started to glow. Her beetle was overcome by its own power, and exploded from the inside. Glowering, Hikari cried out to her beast. “Now attack Cross Sword Beetle.” The beast charged and speared the insects belly with its horn, prompting Urusula to clutch her side with a grimace (LP: 3500).

 

[spoiler=Summary - End Turn 6]

Urusula - Front Row: Aztekipede. Back Row: -. Hand: 3 LP: 3500

Hikari - Front Row: Fabled Unicore. Back Row: - Hand: 3 LP: 100

 

 

 

“What was that about me being nothing special?” Hikari asked her grimacing opponent.

 

“Just keeping struggling, you’ll only entangle yourself further in my web.” Urusula pulled out another card from her deck, increasing her hand to four, thus allowing her to use effects again but... “I activate the spell card Fissure, which destroys a monster on your side of the field. Obviously now I’ve played it I’m back at three cards again, so it’s negated.”

 

“So you wasted your best chance of getting rid of Unicore?” Hikari asked suspiciously. Something clearly wasn’t right here.

 

“Why destroy your monsters, when I can destroy you with them? I summon Infernity Beetle to the field.” A small flying species of beetle, with a black body and pincers, fluttered past Urusula, whose smile was back in place. “All you need to know at this point is Infernity Beetle is a tuner monster. One who is going to give Aztekipede the tuning treatment. Letting me Synchro summon Underground Arachnid!”

 

As the little beetle flew around the giant worm, a column of darkness enveloped them, stretching high into the sky. From within it scuttled a horrible creature, a spider merged with the upper body of a woman. Urusula laughed triumphantly in the wake of this sick abomination. “Now I am free to activate Arachnid’s ability. Once per turn, I can snatch one monster on your side of the field, and equip it to my monster, leaving you wide open!”

 

Hikari frowned as slimy webs shot out from the spider, entangling her unicorn. The beast struggled wildly as it was dragged across the field, before it vanished into light and was absorbed by the spider.

 

“Underground Arachnid, wipe my pathetic daughter from existence.”

 

“From my hand, Battle Fader!” In a flash Hikari activated the card in hand, summoning the pendulum shaped fiend that floated through a rift in reality, as the spider prepared its attack. The pendulum sent ripples through the air, stopping the attack before it even started.

 

“Lucky” Urusula scowled. “I end my turn.”

 

Hikari snatched out her card, eyes never leaving her mother. Bringing the card into her line of sight, she smirked, in a way she hadn’t done ever before, a cold and twisted smirk of someone revelling in destruction. Her eyes flicked briefly to Juruo, then back to Urusula. “I summon Debris Dragon.”

 

“Hey that’s my card” Juruo gasped as the silver dragon took flight. “When did she take that?”

 

“Worry about that later. Just be glad for now she did” Sabin replied. Juruo looked at him, and could see he was frowning, not convinced with himself. He shared his doubts, why had Hikari taken his card?

 

“Now the effect of Juruo’s Debris Dragon activates, summoning a monster with less than five hundred attack points from my graveyard. I summon the monster that was sent to the graveyard by Aztekipede, ‘The Unhappy Girl.” A thin young girl with rusty red hair, in a frayed blue dress and bare feet stood beside the silvery dragon. “Then I tune Debris Dragon with Unhappy Girl and Battle Fader, to Synchro summon Black Rose Dragon, and destroy everything before her!”

 

From the tornado of petals a scream came forth, as the pink and black dragon appeared. Petal dispersed everywhere, as the destructive wind propelling them increased. Windows of the nearby buildings shattered, woodwork and roof tiles started to be pulled away. The hornets surrounding the others were blown away by the force of the storm, the signers themselves having to cling to each other to avoid being swept up themselves. The dragons screech reached terrifying new heights as thorny vines shot from it, smashing through walls and into the ground, creating small craters. A vine shot through the spider creature, and it shattered. Caught in its own storm, so was Black Rose Dragon, emptying the field entirely. Both duelists remained standing, glaring at each other, panting heavily.

 

“I end my turn. You got what you need to finish this?” Hikari asked. Incredibly, despite being down to her last life points and with no cards on the field, her wicked smile was still in place.

 

[spoiler=Summary - End Turn 8]

Urusula - Front Row: -. Back Row: -. Hand: 2 LP: 3500

Hikari - Front Row: -. Back Row: - Hand: 2 LP: 100

 

 

 

In silence, Urusula drew her card, barely aware of the people peeping out from behind broken windows and smashed doorways. She frowned at the result. ‘Unfortunately I haven’t. All I have is Grasschopper, which I have no way to summon, and another Needlebug Nest. That and her Card Destruction I took on her first turn. I know her Fabled monsters love discarding; that’s why I haven’t used it yet. But let’s be realistic, she’s already used Lurrie, what else can I trigger? Cerburrel and Krus? She can’t always fluke them out. No, I have to finish this now, and wipe this filthy stain from my life. Then there will be nothing to hold me back, nothing that can stop me reaching the land promised by Demon and Fygmorke.’

 

“I activate Card Destruction, sending all the cards in both our hands to the graveyard, in order to redraw an equal number of cards.”

Urusula stopped, as across the field, Hikari had bowed her head. Had she resigned herself to defeat? No, wait... Hikari was starting to laugh, and quite an eerie laugh at that. One that was getting louder, and wilder with passing seconds. Her head snapped up, staring directly into her eyes, and Urusula turned pale at the sight. One eye had turned gold, the other dark purple.

 

“Thank you mother, I was waiting for that. From my hand, I activate the effects of not just one, but two monsters; my all powerful demons warlords who will now crush you. Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World and Sillva, Warlord of Dark World, rise from the depths of the Netherworld.” The signers and the residents of Gorge Town choked as two dark shadows appeared either side of the now truly demented looking girl. The shadows faded, to reveal two horrible fiends. On her right, a fearsome winged demon with blue skin and golden armour, wielding an enormous axe (ATK: 2300). On her left, a taller, leaner figure with black hide and wings, adorned with silvery feathers and plumed helmet, carrying two long, curved sickles (ATK: 2300). People watching from indoors started to flee however they could from these two evil spirits that the blonde woman was now quaking in the wake of.

 

“Also, because they were summoned by your cards effect, my monsters gain additional abilities. Goldd’s is irrelevant, but Sillva’s can go ahead just fine. When summoned, he can return two cards in your hand to the bottom of your deck, leaving you completely and utterly helpless.”

 

“No. Hikari, daughter, stop this right now” Urusula started staggering backwards, begging for mercy.

 

“It’s too late for that. It’s my turn, and I summon Brron, Mad King of Dark World.” A clawed demon with a maniacal grin, garbed in regal wear and bound in chains, stood between its two taller warlords. “Now first things first. Goldd, destroy her duel runner.”

 

The broader fiend charged, laughing mirthlessly, raising its axe overhead as it charged past the retreating Urusula, bringing its axe crashing down on her duel runner, which exploded on contact. With nowhere left to run, Urusula turned back towards the two demons rushing her. Somewhere in the distance, somebody shouted for Hikari to stop, not to do it. They were ignored. Pain engulfed her body as the two demons attacked, and she blacked out.

 

...

 

“Look at me.”

 

Blearily, Urusula opened her eyes, blinking several times. She was lying in a crumpled heap in the middle of the street. She had blocked some of the attack, but her shield was broken in places where the force fuelled by hate had overcome, shards scattered across the ground. Blood was seeping through rips in her dress, from slash wounds in her arms and stomach. Forcing herself onto her side, she could just see that - standing some way away - those other signers were exchanging terrified glances. Standing over her was the victor, her daughter. Again came the demand. Urusula grunted, and looked down instead.

 

“What? You can’t even look at me. Is because you’re guilty and ashamed to look at me? Do you hate me that much, or can’t you bear to look at the result of what and your allies put your own daughter through?” Again, a grunt response, and the woman tried to crawl away. Enraged, Hikari pulled off her black t-shirt, exposing her scarred body, and grabbed her mother by the hair, forcing her to look up. Her eyes had returned to normal, but were still filled with rage and despair.

 

“Look at me. You did this to me. You and your noble friends, and you can’t stand it.” Emotion spilling over, Hikari grabbed the woman with both hands, shaking her fiercely. “YOU. DID. THIS. TO. ME!!!”

 

Alarmed into reacting at last, the group ran over. Luca and Juruo had to wrestle Hikari off; which prompted a yelp of pain, and a few swings of fists. “Get off me” Hikari yelled, shaking free of their grasp and clutching at where they’d grabbed her. She made for her mother again, only to be blocked off by Yuma. “Why are your protecting her?” she demanded.

 

“We’re trying to protect you Hikari” Yuma said soothingly, taking the girls bandaged hands in hers, and not releasing them despite the wincing. “I know you’re angry, but you’re better than she is. Don’t bring yourself down to her level.” Hikari looked away from Yuma’s eyes, biting her lip.

 

“Yuma’s right.” Hikari looked at Juruo, who was frowning at her. “Look around at the destruction you caused. You’ve endured terrible things. You have every right to be angry with her. But you could have hurt a lot of innocent people. People you’re trying to protect.” Hikari stared at Juruo for a while, looking overcome under his furious glare. He softened slightly. “Look, I’m sorry. I guess you just scared me, scared all of us. I don’t know where you are right now or what you want to do, but there’s nothing we can’t help you with if you let us in, alright?”

 

“C’mon, let’s go alright.” Yuma picked up the discarded shirt and passed it to Hikari. She accepted it mutely, and followed her gentle pulls back towards the duel runners, glaring over her shoulder. The scared looking Luca, Tyrana and Mel went over with them to, leaving Sabin and Juruo alone with Urusula.

 

Sabin shook his head. “I don’t like this. She’s got some explaining to do later. Like where did those monsters come from?”

 

“What can we do? We can’t force her to tell us what’s wrong. Only wait for when she’s ready.”

 

A dragging sound distracted the boys. Urusula had dragged herself over to her destroyed duel runner and was propping herself up against it. She was breathing raggedly, staring at them. “You just wait until Lord Demon hears of this. He is going to bring hell down upon all of you for your interference. And I will be there to watch, you see. This is far from over.”

 

“For you, it is over” Sabin simply remarked. “I don’t condone Hikari’s actions, but yours are truly despicable. You’re done.”

 

The two boys left Urusula to whatever fate awaited her, and rejoined the others waiting for them. There was still a long way to go to reach the castle in time. At least they were now one enemy less to face, but with this new Hikari saddled behind Juruo, at what cost?